Phantasma Magica
by Ciestess
Summary: Clockwork and the Observants send Danny to Hogwarts on a special mission. But, cryptic as ever, that Old Stopwatch never actually told him what would happen on it! "'The Lions with the time-turner, lightning-bolt scar, and hair like fire are friends; watch out for the rat; and the black dog is not a threat.' Yeah, you've only repeated that a few dozen times today." Icon: Atrieisan
1. Chapter 1

**This fanfic is a crossover between the Harry Potter book series and the Danny Phantom AU "Time's Apprentice" by Atrieisan on deviantart (check out her comic - her artwork is beautiful!)**

**This is only Arc 1 of 3, but all of this arc has been written. So you can expect regular updates every Wednesday until Arc 1 is finished! You can find this fanfic here, as well as on:**

**ArchiveOfOurOwn (Ciestess)  
****Deviantart (Ciestess)  
Tumblr (CiestessDE)**

**Also, if you like my writing, you should check out my other series "One-Shot Wednesdays" where I write a requested short story every week! I'm also in the process of writing an original book series called "Crossroad of Infinity," so if you want to know more about that, you can check out my Tumblr (shown above).**

**Finally, I want to thank everyone who helped beta this story, including Jay. Bloodworth (jaywrites101 on Tumblr).**

**I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Ghost Zone - Clocktower - Sometime in the 2000s**

After the accident that transformed him into a dangerous creature known as a "phantasm," Danny had been staying with Clockwork, the Keeper of Time. The ancient being had saved Danny many times, and in many ways, by then. He'd even taken Danny under his wing as his apprentice.  
And as his apprentice, Danny was often sent on missions - either by the immortal Keeper himself, or by his bosses the Observants.  
It was one of these missions that Danny was currently trying to find out more about.

"Why are these things so much trouble, again?"  
Clockwork was floating around the room, his purple robe and spectral tail flowing behind him, working on making his apprentice a few extra batches of imitation ecto-energy, or "substitutes."  
Just in case Danny ran out while on this mission. (Not that Clockwork was trying to hint at anything… Because honestly, if he did, it would just make things worse for the poor boy.)

"They are only trouble if they fall into the wrong hands. I had planned to discreetly destroy them myself, but…"  
By the way he trailed off, Danny knew he would never get the end of that sentence.  
"Alriiiight… So are you at least going to tell me why you're sending me to a MAGIC SCHOOL first?"  
Silence.  
"Aaarrrgh!" He bumped his head against the nearest wall. "*sigh* Fine. Whatever. Why do I even bother asking questions, anymore…"  
Clockwork handed him a large backpack with the substitutes in them (all 3-years-worth… And, yes. It WAS heavy), and, after Clockwork formed his legs once more and retrieved his staff, they walked in silence to one of the innumerable clock-shaped viewing screens.

Clockwork twisted a few mechanisms on his staff and waved it in front of the screen, and, with a sound like tv static, a view of a dark, mysterious forest appeared on it.  
"Y'know, just because no time will pass HERE, doesn't mean it will _feel_ like it to _ME_."  
"All you need to do right now, Daniel, is stay focused on your mission. And remember, the-"  
"_'The Lions with the time-turner, lightning-bolt scar, and hair like fire are friends; watch out for the rat; and the black dog is not a threat.'_ Yeah, you've only repeated that a few dozen times today."  
Clockwork stepped out of the way of the portal, and Danny flew through.

Despite knowing the most likely outcome (and having a backup plan for all over-fifty likely dangers), he couldn't stop himself: "... Be safe, Daniel."

**Hogwarts - Forbidden Forest - 1993**

As expected, Danny had arrived above a forest and about a mile away from the school in the late morning. He took his time flying, and, after a few minutes, he was about halfway there. At this point, he decided he should probably go ahead and take one of the substitutes, seeing as it had been a while since he last ate.  
But as he was about to uncap the bottle, he noticed a strange black shape moving toward him from the school's direction. It was moving rather quickly…

He could feel his hackles rising from the aura the creature was giving off and the way it made the space around it darken. It was too close, and coming in WAY too fast.  
He managed to get the bottle back in the bag, but he didn't notice the OTHER of the creatures come up from below him in time. It knocked the bag out of his hands before it-

_Pain. Electricity. Screaming._

The creature shrieked when the blast of ethereal fire hit it. But, although he'd fended off the one, its buddy was only a few feet away now.

Danny picked up speed - still trying to get to the school - before realizing how much weaker he felt.  
'Those things must feed off ectoplasmic and ethereal energy. But how? What are th-? OH!'  
Now he remembered: Dementors. They were Spirit Eaters, just like phantasms like him. Except they usually only fed off of emotions.  
'So why do I feel weak? … Wait, I feel wea- The substitutes!'

Danny turned around to try and find the bag and the (hopefully not broken) bottles of imitation ecto-energy, but the dementors were done _only_ trying to snack on him.  
They were still starving, but anger and ages-old hatred between their kinds had overruled hunger. If Danny slowed... they would destroy him.

So Danny flew.  
And he fought.  
And he became weaker and weaker, and - eventually - hungrier and hungrier.  
And by the time the wizards showed up, he was starting to fall apart...

**Hogwarts - Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) Class**

Professor Remus Lupin was writing on the board in silence, finishing his final preparations for the day's lesson, while the third-year Slytherins and Gryffindors - including the Golden Trio themselves: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger - settled into their seats. But while the rest of the class were preoccupied by today's lesson, the latest gossip, or a forgotten textbook, Hermione…

"Professor? Could you tell us a little about phantasms? They were only briefly mentioned in the book."  
She continued to flip through her textbook until finding the page in question. A brief paragraph greeted her with the challenging lack of information that had left the brunette in an absolute storm of frustration, no matter how many times she went over it.

Remus Lupin, dressed in his usual ragged robes, turned his gaze to her with a mixed expression. His normally sad, wistful smile fell, and a sigh left his lips.  
But his tired eyes brightened at the topic, as a hand brought itself up to rub his furrowing brow in thought.  
"You bring up an interesting topic Miss Granger. The little information that is written - is true to the fact that there is little known about them."

The class was silent, waiting to sate their curiosity.  
Despite the numerous times most of the students would simply roll their eyes at 'Know-It-All' Granger's antics, this was something even many of the pureblood Slytherins in the room hadn't heard of. All ears honed in to hear the professor's next words, hung with anticipation.

"From what little we do know, I can tell you that phantasms are very rare creatures of the spectral class. Not unlike ghosts or poltergeists with their varied appearances and personalities; and yet they hold a frighteningly close similarity to dementors in the dangers they pose. They are, indeed, Dark Creatures."

Harry shuddered as the rest of the class broke into nervous murmurs. Snickers came from some of the Slytherins, followed by teasing gestures imitating dementors aimed at Harry. The raven haired teen just gave a huff in response, turning his attention back to the professor, while Ron continued to glare at Malfoy and the other Slytherins. Hermione then broke the moment of tension and returned the eyes of the class to their professor.  
"How is it possible for a ghost-like creature to also be a dementor-like creature?"

Lupin pondered her words for a moment, his mind attempting to piece together the few existing bits of information regarding the matter.  
"In that lies the mystery. From what little is known, we can only piece together a few facts, considering that they are, in fact, corporeal beings - unless they wish otherwise - and are extremely aggressive in demeanor."

It was Ron's turn to earn a few points for curiosity, "But if they're so aggressive… how come almost no one's ever seen 'em?"  
"Good thinking on your part Mr. Weasley, though that in itself brings up more questions than answers. As your book states, many old stories of ghost attacks or hauntings are results of phantasms holding claim to their territory. More often tormenting muggles and going out of their way to avoid the wizarding world."

This brought another snicker from the Slytherin group. Malfoy leaned back in his chair and shared a cruel smirk with some of his housemates.  
"Seems there's actually a respectable creature out there after all."  
More bits of smug laughter came from the group at the implication their 'leader' had made.  
The weary teacher cleared his throat to grab the attention of the students before a fight broke out.

"They're not to be taken lightly, Mr. Malfoy. Most reports of attacks - from the few who have survived - have been upon unwary witches and wizards that stumbled into their haunts. Despite their preference to muggle neighborhoods, they will not differentiate when it comes to what they claim as their territory. Though I have not met one personally, from what I've heard, they can make even a dementor look docile in comparison."

The class fell silent once more with the weight of the professor's words. The meaning in his tone was clear: This was not a matter to be taken lightly. The silence was only broken by a nervous squeak from Longbottom.  
"P-pp-professor…. Are they….. r-really that dangerous?" Neville chirped, his body attempting to sink below his desk.  
"Indeed. They are one of the few dark creatures that dementors will respond to in earnest - and violently for that matter. Usually the two species will avoid one another, but should they cross, a fight will undoubtedly occur.  
"It is also said that their presence can often be mistaken for that of a dementor's, as the room will become as cold as ice. But rather than the happiness being drained out of you, a sense of feeling hunted will settle in your gut… "

And right then, what would have otherwise been an inconsequential lesson - doomed to be forgotten except for the occasional nightmare or horror-story - became a _well-timed joke_ for the old, meddling Keeper of Time.

Lupin found his words cut short as his gaze turned towards the window in surprise. Every pulse in the room raced, adrenaline pumping through them to prepare them to fight or run - but a feeling of despair soon layered on top, competing with this sudden desire for life.  
Harry, Ron, Hermione and the others, turned in the direction of their professor's gaze; expressions of fear, horror, and curiosity forming upon their faces, as all eyes fell upon the window glass.  
Crystals of ice crept up the window panes like an all-consuming fungus, encrusting the view to the outside world in a layer of frost - just as a black figure flew by, followed by another two, much larger, forms. Gasps rose from the crowd of students as they darted over to the window to see the spectacle that had just raced by. Professor Lupin pushed his way to the front of the group, peering out the frigid glass towards the scene playing out less than thirty meters from them.

Two dementors encircled, and were lashing out randomly at an unusual entity. A teenage boy, not much older than Harry or the others, floated there in the middle of the two wraith-like creatures. He was dressed quite oddly: a long-sleeved black shirt and black pants; white boots, belt, and gloves; and a sleeveless, white hoodie. His snow-white hair hung down into his face - but it didn't hide the blazing green glare and bared fangs the boy directed at the two dementors.  
Just as they lashed out again at the floating boy, a yelp rang out from most of the class. A flash of neon-green light had tumbled one of the beasts backwards! However, it quickly recovered from the intimidating attack, and all three specters shot off across the grounds - the two dementors remaining in hot pursuit of the ghost-like boy.

Hermione was the first of the class to recover from the shock enough to speak; her gaze turning from the window, to Professor Lupin, and back again.  
"Professor, was that… ?"  
Remus remained in stunned silence, staring out the window in his own spell of disbelief. However, quickly shaking himself from his thoughts, he turned to face the students.  
"So it would seem. _Class is dismissed_ \- and I want you ALL to head to your houses immediately! I must speak to Professor Dumbledore."

Hurried footsteps clattered down the stone corridors as students and teachers alike scattered about. The Golden Trio darted through the crowd and over to the nearest window that viewed the grounds. Soon followed by the Weasley twins, who'd spotted them slipping by.  
"Wotcher, Harry! This has to be one of the weirdest sights Hogwarts has seen, 'eh?" George grinned, patting the raven haired teen upon the shoulder, as he and his twin peered out through the glass.

A black-and-white speck went whizzing by the gamekeepers hut, with the two other figures in hot pursuit. The extremely large man that resided in the hut could be seen exiting and flailing up at them in agitation.  
"Hagrid!" Harry jolted, looking ready to leap through the window and save the man from the angry specters.

"Easy now, Harry. I think we best let the professors handle this one." Fred had the same grin as his twin, his hand coming up to pat Harry's other shoulder.  
"Yeah, even the professors are gonna have trouble with this," George chimed in. Harry heaved a sigh in response.  
Hermione shook her head, "I just hope Professor Dumbledore knows enough about them to do something."  
Ron was about to smack himself in the face at her comment, but stopped when the scene swept by the window. The blur of motion caused him, and several others, to yelp in surprise.

**Outside the Entryway**

"Merlin's beard!" Professor McGonagall swore, a hand held to her chest to steady herself from shock. The three specters just whisked by _centimeters_ from the tall, severe-looking teacher's head as she stepped out onto the grounds.  
Her eyes followed the scene fly out across the lake and back again. Her gaze then shifted over towards Dumbledore, who had just arrived in the entryway of the castle.  
"It's trouble enough just having dementors around the school grounds, but in Heaven's name! This is too much, Headmaster!"  
The old wizard chuckled, his piercing blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.  
"There, there Minerva. This will be settled soon enough. But first, it would be best to separate them before this matter escalates. Severus?" Dumbledore turned to look back up the stairs, a serious look on his face as blue eyes met jet black.

"Yes, Headmaster?" The thin, sallow-skinned man remained stoic, his tone flat with a hint of irritation. Although it was likely due to general frustration (with the DADA professor), rather than with the situation at hand.  
"If you would?"  
Professor Snape nodded, his wand at the ready for the creatures' next pass. The group of professors (as well as the unavoidable huddle of students behind them, just inside the entryway) watched the creatures' exchange nervously.

As they flew, the black-and-white blur would sporadically fire green projectiles at the following dementors, causing one or both of them to briefly fall behind. They sped over the lake, the Forbidden Forest, and made several laps around the castle once again, before coming within reach of Snape and Dumbledore's wands.  
"Expecto Patronum!" yelled the Potions Professor, successfully blocking the dementors' pursuit.  
At almost the exact same instant the Headmaster cried "Irretio idolon!"

The boy-like apparition immediately fell, as though snagged on a line. When he hit the ground, there seemed to be a physical struggle - as though the phantasm were trapped in an invisible net held together only by the tip of Dumbledore's wand. Once he regained his bearings, the phantasm tried to fly away again.  
The old wizard wasn't expecting the smaller creature to be so strong; before he knew it, Dumbledore was pulled a couple meters forward. He quickly started shaking and sweating from the strain of trying to keep the phantasm in place.  
"Pomona!"  
The dumpy, dirt-covered Herbology professor quickened her pace from the Greenhouses, carrying a sack of what resembled roses in one hand and glowing green dust in the other. She carefully combined and formed these into a circle around the phantasm, being sure to stay well out of striking range. When she finished, Dumbledore immediately released his hold on the spirit.

Professor Sprout fell back in fright when the phantasmal boy sprang at her, fangs bared and growling so low she could feel the ground vibrating beneath her. She breathed a sigh of relief when the barrier held.  
Everyone took a few moments for the shock to wear off, before Hagrid approached Dumbledore. "Wha' should I do with…"  
Dumbledore shook his head, "I'm afraid, Hagrid, that this will take the care of _professionals_ to be dealt with safely."  
"Ay, ay, Headmaster, sir."

"And who, may I ask, has the most unfortunate job of supervising the creature until such professionals arrive?" asked McGonagall.  
"I believe that falls to whomever is most familiar with and knowledgeable on such matters." His eyes, duller than usual (though not by much), turned questioningly to the other professors on the stairs.  
Remus stepped forward. "I suppose that would be me… Though I'll need at least one other to help me, as I can't be watching it at all times."  
"I'll take the night shift, professor, don'tcha worry none," said Hagrid, "I've ne'er met a creature I couldn't take a liking teh."  
"Yeah," whispered Malfoy, near the back of the huddle of students still just inside the doors. "But I've never met a creature or wizard who could take a liking to that oaf. Except blood-traitors and mudbloods."

The Heads of Houses quickly began ushering students back to their dormitories after that, and the search began for how such a dangerous and powerful creature had managed to come so close to Hogwarts without being detected by the castle's barriers.  
And that evening, in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, a certain group of students discussed how they could use this situation to learn more about the elusive creatures called "phantasms"… as well as whether, and how, this might give them a new way to fend off the ever-lurking threat of the dementors.


	2. Chapter 2

**Later That Night…**

"Okay, I'm ready," Hermione whispered, tiptoeing into the common room.  
"About bloody time!" Ron whisper-shouted in response.  
The trio quickly threw on Harry's invisibility cloak and started carefully making their way to the entrance hall.  
After much discussion (and no conclusion) about how the mysterious phantasm could help them deal with Harry's problem, Hermione (tentatively) suggested they take a closer look at the creature while they had the chance.  
As they exited the castle, they quickly headed toward Hagrid's hut, where the phantasm had been moved. As they expected, Hagrid was sound asleep, firewhisky in hand, Fang at his feet, and Hermione's sleep-potion-filled cookies on his lap. Fang and the phantasm were also sound asleep, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to play it safe and keep the invisibility cloak on.  
"Fascinating…" whispered Hermione. "I don't think the phantasm is just asleep. He appears to be in some sort of hibernative state - perhaps a defense mechanism for being in unfamiliar territory, or for being without food,- " She shuffled the group forward to get a closer look at the creature.

Danny noticed something off - he sensed an aura similar to Clockwork's slowly approaching. And it _kept_ getting closer… Like it was sneaking up on him.  
'No… Clockwork's not here, he's back in the Ghost Zone… Where am I again?' He sniffed the air. 'Magic, blood blossoms, beer, dog, and… mmm, cookies…' His stomach growled. 'Oh yeah, I remember now. I need to get the-'  
", -after all, he hasn't been released from the circle since- Ah!"  
Danny sat straight up at the sound of someone so close. Hermione jumped, falling backward, and taking Harry and Ron down with her. As they fell, their feet slid forward and, because they had gotten so close, scraped some of the dust away, breaking the circle.  
It took all of them a moment to realize what had happened. Danny, hungry and his mind already having been put back on-mission from feeling a bit of time-aura, reacted first.  
With all of the strength he had left, he flew straight through the opening and into the forest.

"Great going, Hermione. You just HAD to get a closer look," said Ron, annoyed and shaking from cold and fear.  
"Oh, shut up, you two," said Harry. "We don't have time for you to argue, we need to catch that ghost!"  
"Technically, phantasms aren't- Oh!" Harry grabbed Hermione and Ron's arms and pulled them after him into the forest.  
It was impossible to keep up with the phantasm's speed, even with Hermione's tracking spell. By the time they reached him, he had finished draining a glowing-green liquid out of a glass tube.  
Before they could even process the fact that the not-just-a-creature was carrying a backpack filled to bursting with similar-looking glowing green containers, they felt a familiar cold despair settle over them, the ground beneath their feet freezing solid. Except there was something different about it this time. It was as though, just as all of the happiness was being drained out of them, a roiling hatred was emanating from the dementor lurking just a few meters away.

Danny knew the three magic-users had been following him, but how could he have missed the dementor!? 'I must have gotten used to them, being so close to their patrols the past 24 hours… No time to waste worrying about it. I have to save those kids! …Oh, uh, and myself…'  
Recharged and ready for action, and with lives on the line, Danny wasn't playing around. He met the dementor blow-for-blow, but as he was leaning in to deliver a blast of ethereal fire, the dementor did something unexpected. His mouth opened wide, there was a sucking sound, and suddenly-

_'Danny! Danny, what are you doing!? No! Nooooo! HHHEEELLLPPP!'_

He pulled away, quickly gaining some distance. He could feel the energy the dementor's… BITE took out of him, but… What WAS that!?  
The dementor was coming back at him; having tasted his prey, he was not to be deterred.  
Danny continued dodging and fighting, but he was distracted. That image… It was from a nightmare, he knew that. He KNEW it wasn't real…  
'I can't think about this right now. I HAVE to focus! How to beat this thing…' But he just couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. 'HOW did that thing make me- wait. Oh, DUH! If it can drain MY energy…'  
Taking a chance, Danny turned to the dementor, grabbed its arm, bit down, and PULLED.

It worked. The dementor screamed as Danny swallowed, his energy returning.

'YES! _Absolutely_ disgusting, but I can get my energy back! And if I can eat his body, then I can also just feed off his aura - quicker AND less disgusting… Even if I won't get as much energy from it…'  
Now exchanging punches and energy-draining bite for energy-draining bite, they tore through the forest, feeding off each other and anything nearby, desperately trying to gain the advantage.

The three students didn't need to be told they were out of their league…  
"Uh, guys…" said Ron, "I think we should get out of here."  
"We need to go wake up Hagrid," said Harry. Hermione nodded in agreement, and the friends turned and, slipping and sliding on the ice, ran as fast as they could back toward the castle.

The fight was taming down, the dementor losing energy fast. Eventually deciding his enemy was too strong to take on alone, the dementor turned to the closest other interesting thing within range of its senses: the three potential meals glowing like hot embers and racing away from him.  
He got one last strike in, throwing Danny far enough away for him to turn and speed down toward the students… who were out way past curfew...

Danny, now _more_ than a few meters from his opponent, immediately knew what the dementor was doing, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't notice the danger approaching. They continued running towards the hut, the dementor closing in on them with a speed beyond belief.

Danny raced after them, desperately trying to get to the teens before the other predator, but the dementor was now so close to them, its presence once again formed ice under the trio's feet. Even as they realized the danger, they started sliding, their escape slowed considerably.  
Danny was half a second away when Harry collapsed, the others stopping to help him. Knowing he needed to end this quickly for the sake of the students, Danny realized he had no choice... He had to kill the dementor.

"You like playing with ice too, huh?" He shot an icy-blue ray, freezing it solid, and followed up with a whistle. But it wasn't a normal, _human_ whistle: It was a sharp, ear-piercing, bullet-like _sonic burst_, and it shattered the creature into a million pieces.

Ron, Hermione, and a slightly out-of-it Harry, all looked up in fear and awe at the being that just saved them, unsure of what to do next. Before they had a chance to decide, however, Danny turned around, still floating about six meters in the air. All three of them were stunned by just how vibrant and… _untamed_ his eyes were, slit pupils staring down at them out of lanterns of unearthly green.  
'They seem to be alright…' Danny turned back towards the forest.

Suddenly, the completely unmoving phantasm shot off, startling the students and causing them to slip again. Hermione was the first up, running after their seeming savior.  
By the time she caught up to him, Danny was already on his way back to the castle, Harry and Ron a few feet behind her.

"Hello? Mr. Phantasm!" Hermione said, waving at him from below.  
'What the… I figured they'd be terrified of me after that fight…' Danny stopped, thoroughly confused. 'Wait, is that… time aura…?' Looking closer, he thought he spotted something gold hanging from the girl's neck.  
_'The Lions with the time-turner, lightning-bolt scar, and hair like fire are friends'_  
Looking more closely at the two boys, he finally noticed the one's ginger hair and the other's lightning-bolt scar.  
'These are the three "lions" that are supposed to help me!'

Now excited (and no longer afraid they were going to trap him again… mostly), Danny descended, landing on a rather large tree root without a sound.  
"Hello. I just wanted to thank you for saving our lives from that awful dementor."  
"No problem!" Danny said with a grin, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione froze, surprised.  
"You… You're American!" Harry exclaimed. Ron nodded, still speechless at the entire situation. Meanwhile, Hermione-  
"Absolutely fascinating! Have you been living in the United States? And why does your voice echo like that, is it a result of being composed of an only partially-tangible substance? And-"

"Hermione, give the bloke a break! He can't answer you when you badger him with questions like that!" chided Ron, finally breaking out of his stupor.  
"Oh! I'm so sorry! And we haven't even introduced ourselves-"  
"It's alright!" said Danny, holding up his hands in a 'no need to apologize' gesture. "My name is Danny."  
"It's nice to meet you." Harry stepped out from behind Ron and Hermione, introducing each member of their group.  
"What brings you to Hogwarts, Danny?" He asked.

'I know I can trust them, but… Aagh! Where to start?!' Danny rubbed the back of his neck, took a long breath, and said out loud, "Well… This is going to sound crazy, but I was sent here by Clockwork, the Master of Time, to destroy these… well, random objects, really, because they're somehow a danger to the timeline…?"  
"Random objects? What kind of objects?" asked Ron, shivering.

"Let's see…" Danny pulled a list out of the satchel, "There's a snake, a diadem, a cup, a locket, and a ring."  
"Why do you need to destroy them? I mean, a snake I get, those things are creepy - _no offense, Harry_ \- but what did a bunch of jewelry do to this Clockwise person?"  
"It's Clock_work_, Ron. It's another name for Chronos, the Father of - ow!" Hermione rubbed her scalp, "It feels like something just hit me."  
Danny chuckled. Clockwork _hated_ the name 'Chronos.'

"I don't know how they're a threat to time, exactly, but I do sort of know how they're all connected. Apparently, this guy 'Tom Riddle' wanted to live forever, so he put pieces of his soul into each of the objects-"  
"Pieces of his _soul_! Blimey, how creepy can You-Know-Who get?!" said Ron.  
"To perform such a spell…!" Hermione was reeling, and Harry wasn't much better.  
"I, uh… take it you know this guy?"  
Danny was confused. The second he said 'Tom Riddle' the three students went so pale it was like the dementor had come back.  
"Yeah," said Harry, "_We know him, alright…_"

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3

Hagrid stood in the center of the room, wringing his hands. Lupin stood next to Hagrid, while Dumbledore sat behind his desk, hands folded underneath his chin. Calm.  
He and Lupin were the only ones who were.

At the news that the phantasm had escaped last night, the four Heads of House and those guarding the phantasm, Hagrid and Lupin, had been summoned to the Headmaster's office to discuss what should be done.  
McGonagall stood near the wall to the right of the Headmaster's desk.  
Snape brooded in the shadows on the wall opposite her, the area around him avoided by the other teachers.  
Professors Sprout and Flitwick sat on differently sized stools - a normal sized one for Sprout, and a very tall one, with rungs like a ladder leading to the seat, for Flitwick - at a table laid out with now forgotten biscuits and tea.

Forgotten because it hadn't taken long before Hagrid's midnight snack - the cookies - was discovered to have been laced with sleep-potion, and, unfortunately…  
Hagrid didn't know who had sent them.

Sprout rose from her seat near the wall, "You ate something that you didn't know-"  
"I was hungry! An' who woulda suspected- I mean, I recognized th' owl! It was from 'Ogwart's Owlery!"  
"What's happened has happened," the Headmaster interrupted, "The main issue is what should be done now that it has. Remus, as the one most familiar with phantasms, do you have any advice?"  
"I do." Lupin stepped forward, as Hagrid shuffled nearer the door.  
"Now that the creature has escaped, I doubt we will see it again. With how notoriously private phantasms are known to be, it's shocking that one came here at all."  
"Do you have any idea what might have drawn it here?" Flitwick asked, the extremely short teacher shifting in his seat and adjusting his grip on his cup nervously. He still didn't drink.  
"Unfortunately, no. We really don't know much about the species. And this would have been an excellent chance to study one up close. But even still, with no one having been hurt, this glimpse was a lucky peak into-"

Snape cut in with his usual sneer, "What about the students?"  
There was a small pause - the tension rising in anticipation of the forbidding teacher's next words.  
"What about them, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, unreadable.  
Snape's black cloak detached from the shadows as his menacing figure stepped forward. "Those cookies were likely sent to Hagrid by a student - or group of students - that wanted to get a closer look at the dangerous creature," his sneer deepened, "And I believe we all have a few guesses as to who those students likely were."  
The teachers exchanged glances, but no one dared look at Snape. While they didn't agree with his attitude, they couldn't deny the probability.

Dumbledore spoke, "Even if that is the case, we have no way of identifying exactly which students - if it was a student - are responsible. However," he cut Snape off, raising his hand to silence him before he could protest, "I agree that the students need to be made aware of the consequences of such an action. So I will leave it up to each Head of House to deal with the issue as you see fit among each of your students."  
They nodded, the tension dropping slightly. It was a fair compromise. Pacified, Snape returned to his spot near the wall.

"Remus, since it is unclear why the creature came here, I believe we should have a plan in the event that the phantasm should return."  
"Well…" he thought for a moment, "The best thing we could do, I believe, is teach the students a basic spell for defending themselves if they run into a phantasm… and have each staff member trained and ready to help capture the creature."  
Dumbledore nodded. And thus, with plans for an extra lesson for each of the DADA classes, the meeting ended - with none of the adults any the wiser that an invisible listener had been floating above them.

If he hadn't decided to follow Sprout (And, really? The professor who taught magical gardening's last name was "Sprout?" Talk about fate…) in order to burn their supply of blood blossoms so they couldn't trap him again, he never would have found the Headmaster's Office - even if he somehow _had_ heard about this meeting!  
The layout of this… school? … ah, let's be real, _castle_\- was going to take some time for Danny to get used to. If he ever did.  
Changing staircases, rooms that appeared and disappeared... Living in it was like playing hide-and-seek in a magical funhouse from his nightmares - where getting caught meant getting sent to jail! He wouldn't have stayed at all, except…

'_The Lions with the time-turner, lightning-bolt scar, and hair like fire are friends'_

When Clockwork gave you a hint, you listened. 'Cause if you didn't… Well. They were his only lead to completing his mission. So he stayed close. Which, despite the infuriatingly complex architecture, wasn't hard.  
After filling him in on their history with this "Tom Riddle" (or "Voldemort," or _whatever_), Danny understood why they wanted to help him find and destroy the random objects Clockwork had sent him after - the "horcruxes."  
Apparently, he was a _really bad dude_ (no surprise) who tried to conquer the wizarding world so that "pure-blooded" wizards could rule over "muggles and mudbloods" (a.k.a. non-magic humans and those born from them, respectively). He was responsible for mass-genocide and, more specifically, the murder of both of Harry's parents.  
… So, in other words, he was magic-Hitler!

Granted, there wasn't much the Trio could actually do, but he wasn't going to refuse the help, either. However, even with their help…  
They were his only lead.  
His ONLY one.

HOW WAS HE SUPPOSED TO FIND THESE THINGS?!

Okay. Clockwork _did_ say it would take him _three years_. But that didn't make it much less frustrating!  
And so, after exploring as much of the castle as his brain could take ("Who designed this freaking place!?"), Danny resorted to following his three companions around. In addition to his frustration, he'd gotten rather bored, and was curious what magic classes were like.

DADA, he decided, was kinda interesting. Snape's treatment of his students was… _way_ more than irritating, and since there wasn't anything he could do about it, either, he steered clear of Potions. Muggle Studies was amusing - he could see why Hermione, who was raised as a muggle, enjoyed it. Divination… He couldn't tell for sure whether the practice was possible or not, but the learning conditions for the students probably weren't helping any of them. Suffice it to say that he was grateful he didn't need to breathe, or he might have gotten a headache from the fumes.

Out of all of them, Care of Magical Creatures seemed like the least effective of all. As far as Danny (and Ron, who moaned to him about it) could tell, there was no benefit to knowing what they were currently learning: how to take care of flobberworms. So that class Danny opted to _not_ invisibly attend. Especially with how close it would've taken him to the dementors.  
One class that really caught Danny's interest, though, was Astronomy! It was (before the accident) Danny's lifelong dream to become an astronaut! So of course, Danny asked Ron and Hermione if he could help them with that homework.

The three were together in the boy's dormitory, the door locked (couldn't have anybody see him…), when someone knocked.  
"It's Harry!" came a voice from behind the door.  
Ron let him in. A soft roar of voices whooshed into the room behind him, returning to a dull white noise once closed.  
"What's going on down there?" Hermione asked, moving some papers to clear a spot for him.  
Harry monotoned, "First Hogsmeade weekend is going to be at the end of October. Halloween," before plopping down, pulling out his own chart dispiritedly.  
"Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," Hermione tried to comfort him, "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."  
"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade." Ron rejoined them, sitting down with a soft _thud_ next to Harry, excitedly. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry. The next one might not be for ages-"  
Hermione, mortified, cut in, "_Ron!_ Harry's supposed to stay _in school_-"  
"He can't be the only third year left behind," Ron bulldozed. "Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry-"  
"Yeah, I think I will," Harry said, his mood lifting.

Danny, who hadn't been staying close enough to the wizards to overhear their gossip (they'd notice the chill, and staying invisible long enough for even a single class was draining enough!), asked, "Uh… who's 'Black'?"  
Unfortunately, he was only able to half-pay attention to their explanation (something about this "Sirius Black" escaping prison and _being after Harry_ \- **THAT** got his attention) because he was distracted by Crookshanks. The cat was stalking closer and closer to Ron's bag, the end of his bushy tail twitching. What was he hunting…?  
Not knowing Scabbers was in Ron's bag, Danny didn't stop the cat when it pounced.

"OY!" Ron roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"  
Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but he clung on, spitting and slashing.  
"Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione.  
Danny grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and turned him intangible, phasing the bag right out of his claws. Hermione took him, the cat's limbs still flailing, while Ron pulled the shivering Scabbers out of the torn bag by the tail.  
"Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"  
"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" Hermione's voice shook, "All cats chase rats, Ron!"

Danny floated, unknowingly watching a feud that would continue throughout the rest of that year. Seeing the malnourished, frightened rat dangling there did remind him, though…  
"_... watch out for the rat…"_  
'I should… keep an eye out for Scabbers.' Danny thought to himself, deciding it'd be best to look after the rat's health.

Later, he heard from the Trio that Professor McGonagall had told Harry, more or less, that "the rules were the rules" so she couldn't allow him to go to Hogsmeade without a form signed by a guardian. As Danny understood it, "Hogsmeade" was a small town nearby the school that had some fun shops (and other attractions), and during these special weekends the students were allowed to leave the school grounds to visit it.  
With nothing better to do (and since he couldn't get past the dementors to get to the town himself, either), Danny cheered Harry up a bit by asking for a tour of Hogwarts.  
"I've explored it on my own, but uh…"  
Harry didn't need any more explanation than that.

So, after saying goodbye to Ron and Hermione, Harry started showing the phantasm around the castle, whispering to the invisible spirit to try not to draw attention. He showed Danny several hidden passages, explained the moving staircases, and answered his questions as best he could.

This was the first time Danny had been alone with the younger boy. And it emphasized something he had begun to notice about him. That Harry somehow felt… _different_ from the others.  
If everyone's soul has a specific "scent," then it was like Harry's was somehow… _tainted_. But it was so faint… 'I'm probably just… It's probably nothing.'

They'd been walking for a while (stopped once by an extremely annoyed janitor named "Filch" … '_Are their names changed to fit their jobs in magic-land?'_) when, on their way to some place called the "Owlery," a voice from inside one of the rooms called out.

"Harry?" Professor Lupin was looking at him from around his office door. "What are you doing? Where are Ron and Hermione?"  
"Hogsmeade," Harry replied - a bit put-out by the reminder.  
"Ah," Lupin considered Harry for a moment. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a grindylow for our next lesson."  
"A what?" Harry took him up on his offer, intrigued by the strange creature pulling faces against the glass of its tank. Lupin closed the door after him.  
"Water demon," said Lupin, "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."  
He looked around for his kettle, "Would either of you like a cup of tea?"

Danny froze. Harry stared at the professor, wide-eyed.  
Lupin chuckled, "Yes, I know. I've known since you decided to listen in on my classes, really." Finding it, he tapped the kettle with his wand, "I've only got tea bags, I'm afraid - but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?" he addressed Harry.  
Giving in, Danny turned visible and floated into a seat. "I, uh… Do you have hot chocolate?"

Lupin smiled and started on the sugary drink. "American? Interesting-"  
"Professor, I thought… you were supposed to capture the phantasm if you found it?" Harry asked.  
"Indeed. But, seeing as he hasn't harmed anyone, I'm in no rush to imprison an innocent person." He handed them their drinks, meeting eyes with the glowing teenager. "Though I am curious: may I ask why you came here, Mr. Phantasm?"  
"It's, uh, Danny. And-" His mind raced even as he accepted the chipped mug. The trio he knew he could trust, but this teacher? No, he needed an excuse! "-I was curious! About, uh... wizards! And humans in general…"  
He wasn't a convincing liar.  
Lupin hummed quietly, debating whether to pry or not. "Danny" really did seem like a normal teenager - aside, of course, from his appearance, which Lupin wasn't the type to judge by. To Danny's luck, Lupin's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.  
Snape had arrived with a potion for Lupin, and after Snape left (Danny returning to the visible spectrum to conserve energy), Harry decided to help him by changing the subject.

"Professor, you know that day we fought the boggart?"  
Lupin sipped the potion, shuddering in disgust. Apparently, it did not taste good. "Yes?"  
"Why didn't you let me fight it?" Harry said abruptly.  
Lupin raised his eyebrows, surprised. "I would have thought that was obvious, Harry."  
"Why?"  
"Well," Lupin frowned slightly, "I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

Danny had no idea what they were talking about (aside from recognizing the name "Voldemort"), but was extremely grateful to Harry for saving him from that conversation!  
"Clearly, I was wrong. But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined people would panic."  
'-Wait... "Materialize?" What?' Danny started paying closer attention.

"I didn't think of Voldemort. I-I remembered those dementors."  
"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully, "Well, well… I'm impressed. That suggests that what you fear most of all is - fear. Very wise, Harry."  
Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he sipped his tea, finishing it.  
Lupin glanced at the clock - and winced. "I'm afraid I need to get back to work, but I'll see you at the feast later - but may I have a brief word before you go, Danny?"  
It was the phantasm's turn to wince. Looked like he didn't get out of that conversation after all. He should've known it wouldn't work.

His feet on the floor for once, he faced the ragged professor.  
"I won't ask why you're really here," Danny's eyes widened. For real?! "However," Oh. Of course there was a catch.  
"- in exchange for keeping your secret, I would…" Lupin hesitated, slightly nervous, "- be very grateful if you could tell me more about phantasms?"  
Danny just blinked at him for a couple seconds. Why was this guy trusting him - just like that!?  
… Well, whatever. He could figure that out later. 'Don't look a gift-horse in the mouth' right?  
"Sure! I mean- I don't know how much help I'll be, but I'll, uh… I'll answer some questions!"

The rest of the day, after Harry finished showing him around, Danny spent finding places he could hide inside of the school: abandoned rooms, a weird network of strangely large pipes in the walls (par for the course at this point), and before he knew it, the Halloween Feast had begun.  
Since he, y'know, didn't actually eat human food, Danny wasn't particularly interested in the feast. The performance by the resident ghosts of the castle was okay, but what really peaked his interest - was the commotion outside the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room afterwards.

When compared to every other weird thing about Hogwarts so far, the fact that pictures and paintings moved didn't surprise Danny much more than the ridiculously large pipes; nor did the fact that they talked, or that one of them, literally called "The Fat Lady," guarded the entrance to the Gryffindors' living area.  
What was surprising was that the Lady was missing - and that her portrait had been slashed to ribbons.

"You'll be lucky!" Peeves, the only poltergeist at the school, cackled from above the crowd.  
"What do you mean, Peeves?" Dumbledore asked calmly. He had already started a search for the missing Lady.  
"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir." His voice retained its air of glee, but he no longer cackled - for even Peeves didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. "Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful." His grin widened. "Poor thing."  
"Did she say who did it?" the Headmaster asked quietly.  
"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, excited by the panic he was about to cause, "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see."  
Flipping over to look at him between his legs, he dropped the bomb, "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

Perhaps it was the tone of Peeves delivery, combined with the ensuing waves of worry from the crowd, but something in Danny slowly twisted at that news.

Danny wanted to protect his friends… Harry was his friend.  
Black was after Harry… Black was nearby - and a threat.  
…

… Peeves knew something about Black.

And so, while the wizards shuffled and organized themselves into the Great Hall for the night instead of their usual sleeping quarters, Danny followed Peeves the Poltergeist.

_To somewhere where no one else was._

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4

Danny floated, invisibly, back into the Great Hall, where all of the students were preparing to sleep. The memory of dripping green liquid mocked him from behind his eyelids.

What did he just do?

_He just…_

'I just…' Danny shivered.

He had only meant to get Peeves to tell him what he knew about Black. But when Peeves said those things, he just…!  
'No!' he thought furiously to himself, 'Don't even start! That was YOU! YOU did that! Don't you DARE try and blame anyone else!'

Danny shook his head, trying to clear it.  
'It wasn't that bad. He'll heal just fine. I didn't hurt him too bad…'

And he hadn't, really. A few light burns. Some scrapes and cuts. A few, admittedly pretty bad, bruises. But nothing a poltergeist wouldn't heal from in a day-or-two.  
… Not that that was really why Danny was panicking, but it did help to distract him.  
The pulse in his core slowed; he was calming down, finally.  
'I need to focus… Peeves didn't know anything about Black… So what next?'

His friends' safety once again occupying his mind, he floated down to check on them more closely. At the very least, he could be nearby if something happened.

They were just moving their sleeping bags into a corner.  
"... Black's still in the castle?" Danny caught the end of Hermione's anxious whisper.  
"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.  
"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," Hermione said, as they settled into their bags to talk, rather than sleep. "The one night we weren't in the tower…"  
"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron, "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

But while the students began to discuss how Black might have gotten in, Danny was trying to solve a different question.  
Was Black's attempt to get into the empty tower really a mistake? What were the chances he'd pick "_The one night"_ the students weren't there… by accident?  
No. The opposite seemed much more likely to the teenage predator: 'That's WHY he picked tonight… But why did he want - or need - the dorms empty…?'

Knowing his friends were safe for the moment, Danny decided to go look around the Gryffindor dormitories to see if he could figure out anything the intruder _might_ have been after. But even after looking through everything he could (being careful not to leave any trace of him moving things around), he didn't have a single idea.  
'Maybe he just wanted to get in quietly so he could hide, then kill (or kidnap?) Harry in his sleep? No, then tearing up the painting makes no sense…!'

Giving up, he decided to check on the Trio one more time before morning. Floating in, he noticed Dumbledore talking to Snape and... _someone_ he recognized as one of Ron's older brothers.  
"...-we had, Headmaster, just before - ah - the start of term?" Danny had to strain more than usual to hear what Snape was saying.  
'Does he not know how to whisper or something?' Danny thought to himself, irritated.  
"I do, Severus," Dumbledore's tone had a hint of warning in it.  
"First a phantasm, then Sirius Black. It seems - almost impossible - that the two could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed-"

"While I _agree_ that, in light of our recent breeches, our security needs to be checked - I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," Danny shivered again. Dumbledore's tone made no room for arguments. "I must go down to the dementors. I said I would inform them when our search was complete."  
"Didn't they want to help, sir?" asked Ron's brother.  
"Oh yes. But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."

Danny couldn't help but add "or phantasm" to Dumbledore's statement - and his voice and expression were so cold when he said it that, for the third time that night, Danny shivered.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one with the idea to guard Harry. After the attack on the Lady, he was watched so closely, in fact, that talking to him became all but impossible. Still, if anything, this was a relief. At least Danny knew he was safe.  
And if anyone wondered why Peeves would sometimes fly away suddenly (when he sensed the phantasm's presence nearby), no one looked into it.  
And as the days passed on, Danny began to get used to life at Hogwarts.

That is... until the Quidditch Incident.

Danny wasn't fond of sports himself (thanks to a bad experience as a mascot while he was still human), but he knew Quidditch (a wizard game) meant alot to Harry, who had some important position on the Gryffindors' team.  
The night before a match, Crookshanks the cat kept trying to get into the boys' room - presumably to eat Ron's rat Scabbers. There were two reasons why this was bad. First, of course, was keeping to Clockwork's warnings - he needed to "_watch out for the rat."_  
The second, though, was what bothered Danny more: If the cat made it into the room, the rat would run away, the cat would chase it, and the boys (Harry) would wake up and lose sleep.  
Because of this, Danny spent the whole night keeping Crookshanks from doing exactly that. So that the day of the game, Danny was exhausted, and his temper was short.

… At least, that's what he told himself caused it.  
There was an absolutely TERRIBLE storm that day. Danny would _never_ understand the wizards' determination to just… _have the game anyway_. Even he, who had _much better eyesight, btw_, could barely see the other side of the stadium!  
But he did have better eyesight. So he was the first to notice the approximately _one hundred_ dementors enter the stadium. And, at least to Danny's eyes, they were heading straight for Harry.

Danny was exhausted.  
He was angry.  
And suddenly, he was. Very. _Hungry_.  
With a roar that shook the players on their flying broomsticks, and an unmistakable flair of green light, Danny dove at the horde of black cloaked figures.  
He was so focused on killing and devouring his enemies - that he didn't notice Harry **fall off his broomstick.**

Luckily, Dumbledore had, and he slowed the boy's fall before he reached the ground. Danny was really lucky to have Dumbledore. There was no way he could have defeated that many dementors; that should have been Danny's death. He only succeeded in tearing a bite out of three, and killing another five, before Dumbledore interfered.  
But Danny didn't feel lucky. Because Dumbledore did not attack only the dementors.  
Granted, it was only aimed in his general direction; even Dumbledore couldn't capture a phantasm AND fend off a horde of dementors at the same time. But that was the_ only_ reason he was able to get away. Danny gained a new fear that day; Dumbledore's anger seemed able to rival even Clockwork's. And it didn't lessen any when Lupin informed him that the "professionals" he required to deal with this "dangerous creature" - _didn't exist_.

He was the talk of the castle after that.  
The phantasm hadn't left Hogwarts after all. Was this its new "haunt?" And if so, what were they to do? Were any of them safe?  
But he hadn't attacked anyone yet. And Dumbledore could protect them!  
These were the conversations he heard - and tried not to listen to.

After he woke up, Harry had mixed feelings about his fainting: On the one hand, at least they were having a rematch. (Apparently, "Diggory had just spotted the snitch" before Danny's wall-of-sound had distracted him - which seemed to translate to "the other team was about to win.") But on the other hand, Harry's broom (which was apparently an expensive one) had been destroyed.

To Danny, these three students were amazing. Twice now they had seen what he was capable of, and they still chose to call him a friend.  
"Well, of course!" said Harry, when he got a chance to ask why. "You protected me against the dementors - _twice_, now!"  
"Yeah, you bloody idiot! Why wouldn't we thank you?" said Ron.  
Hermione nodded in agreement, smiling, the comforting time aura radiating from the time-turner under her shirt.

And Danny decided right then and there: whatever direction Clockwork's mission was _supposed_ to take him - he had his own priorities.  
He was going to help these three _no matter what!_

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5

Harry was stuck, by order of the school nurse, in the hospital wing the rest of the weekend after his fall. Which was fine by Danny - Harry was the only overnight patient, so, other than the occasional visitor and the nurse, the hospital wing was empty most of the time.  
Which meant, with Danny able to turn visible when needed, he could spend the _entire weekend_ guarding and visiting with his friend. _(A fantastic balm to his newfound paranoia!)_

Harry didn't seem to mind the company, either, filling Danny in on various things about the wizarding world.  
… Well. He mostly talked about Quidditch - the upcoming rematch occupying the boy's mind. Danny was an expert on the sport by Monday morning. And (despite his aversion toward sports in general) Danny found he was looking forward to watching Harry play - without rain blocking most of his vision.  
But the entire weekend - even though spending time with a friend did much to calm him - something kept bothering Danny. That taint in Harry's metaphorical "smell" kept itching at his nose…

Even after his release, Danny decided to continue prioritizing Harry's safety - only resting when he knew Harry was in a safe environment. And with all the practice he got following Harry around, Danny finally perfected the art of concealing the chilling effect of his aura.  
_~Poor~_ Malfoy, though, was unaware of his nemesis' ghostly bodyguard, and had decided Harry's weakness to the dementors was _hilarious_. If he had known… _perhaps_ he wouldn't have decided to make fun of Harry during potions… and _maybe_ he would have avoided having his stool, and a bit of the table in front of him, turned intangible - covering him in his unfinished potion… (Much to Danny's annoyance, Snape didn't take any points from Malfoy's House. He considered pranking the professor as well, but didn't dare risk it. … **Yet**.)

Because he was prioritizing Harry's safety, Danny found himself staying with him when Lupin asked to have a word after class, too. Once all of the students had left, Danny went ahead and turned visible.  
"I heard about the match," Lupin addressed Harry, "and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?"  
"No. The tree smashed it to bits."  
Lupin sighed, beginning to prepare for the next class. "They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance."

Hesitating, Harry asked, "Did you hear about the dementors too?"  
Lupin paused, glanced at the phantasm floating in the corner - then looked back at Harry. "Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time… furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds… I suppose they were the reason you fell?"  
"Yes," said Harry, hesitating again before, "_Why?_ Why do they affect me like that? Am I just-"  
"It has nothing to do with weakness," Lupin interjected sharply. "The dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have."

As Lupin explained the horrible creatures that were dementors again, Danny was bothered by the mystery that bugged him all weekend - the tainted smell of Harry's soul. There was another piece of the puzzle. He could feel it, just out of reach…  
"When they get near me-" Harry's throat tightened, "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum."  
Lupin moved as if to comfort him, but stopped.  
There was a moment of silence.

"-Why did they have to come to the match?" Harry said bitterly.  
"I expect knowing a phantasm was nearby agitated them. But mostly - they're getting hungry." Lupin shut his briefcase with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up. … I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement… emotions running high… it was their idea of a feast."

'-Wait…' Danny thought, '... If it was the crowd that drew them - why did they target Harry? And… I get reliving bad memories is common around them, but - Harry was a baby when his mother was killed…'

Finally, something clicked: This wasn't the first time the dementors had singled Harry out; reliving a memory he shouldn't have; the tainted "smell."  
… Danny's mission - Clockwork's clues…  
An idea - **which seemed almost impossible** \- occurred to Danny:  
'What if… _Harry is a horcrux…?'_

Now that the idea had occurred to him -  
\- It was unmistakable. Danny's senses honed in on Harry's soul without his volition - and **there it was**.  
Like an infected wound, or a parasite - a piece of a soul _reeking of death_ clung to Harry. It's essence seeped out of his scar, right where they had said Voldemort's curse rebounded.  
For the first time since becoming a phantasm, Danny genuinely _felt _cold_._

But he couldn't dwell on this. What felt like hours to Danny was only a couple seconds - before the name "Sirius Black," and the abrupt motion of Lupin almost dropping his suitcase, pulled him back into their conversation.

"Yes, Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible…" Lupin said.  
'_But Harry wasn't on the list of objects!'  
_"Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long…"

'_Harry's my friend - I will NOT attack him!'  
_Harry interjected, "_You_ made the dementors on the train back off."  
'_Oh, of __**course**_ _Clockwork didn't tell me, he __**knew**_ _I wouldn't- no… Waaait. He __**said**_ _that Harry was a _"_**friend" **_…'

"There are - certain defenses one can use."  
'_That old- He manipulated me! -Not that… I didn't __**know**_ _he was doing that... -but __**STILL**__!'  
_"But there was only one dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."  
'_Okay. Breathe. Calm down.'_

"What defenses? Can you teach me?!"  
'_Clockwork didn't put Harry on the list.'_

"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors, Harry… quite the contrary…"  
'_That means I don't __**have**_ _to do_ **anything**_.'_

"But if the dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them-"

Lupin hesitated…  
'_And if Harry knew… He'd freak out…'_  
"Well… all right. I'll try and help."  
Danny was trying his hardest to not freeze the walls behind him.  
"But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays."  
'_If Clockwork didn't mention this… Yeah-'  
_"I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill."

'_-Harry _**doesn't need to know**_**.'**_

He was about to follow Harry out of the room - still visible - when Lupin called, "Danny?" His gaze jerked around, his mind still reeling. Lupin locked eyes with him, concerned. "I hope this isn't over-stepping, but… Are you alright?"  
Danny didn't know how to answer that. He wanted to trust this teacher - he really did, but…  
He smiled, "Yeah, I'm fine."  
Lupin couldn't have missed the pause if he had tried. But he continued on, "Well, I was wondering if I might have that interview tomorrow. During lunch, perhaps?"  
Lunch was safe. Harry was surrounded by other wizards - Hermione and Ron, other friends - during lunch.  
"Yeah, that works for me."  
Danny's desire to protect his young friend was stronger than ever. And the more positive relations he could build in this _unsafe_ environment - the better.

So as promised, he met the professor in his office the next day. He asked mostly standard questions… Which was rather awkward for Danny.  
"What do phantasms eat?"  
"Uhhh… Well…"  
Only the first question - and he already wanted to fly away. In his defense, he thought they already knew AT LEAST this much!?  
"We-I mean, _they_ eat mostly… ummm…" 'How do I answer this without freaking him out?!'  
Resigning himself, he sighed. "Phantasms eat... souls."

Lupin almost dropped his quill. He stared at Danny, certain he had misheard.  
Danny quickly added, "But- I don't! I eat - My guardian, he makes this substance. A substitute for souls. I- Here, let me show you!"  
And like that, he darted off, grabbing them from where he had stored them in the system of giant-unused-wall-pipes.  
Lupin was fascinated by the glowing green bottles, and Danny agreed to let him have one to study.

"We were aware that phantasms were capable of _sucking out_ souls, of course, but… I never thought a creature would use it as their primary food source. I wonder, is being a soul eater-"  
"-'_Spirit-eater'_-"  
"-what causes the space around both species to become cold?"  
"I… don't know. Maybe?"  
"Now, I know this might be uncomfortable, but… What about reproduction?"

And so the interview went. Many awkward questions, many not.  
Some curiosity easily satisfied: "I see. You can spread your aura into it to turn _another_ object invisible or intangible _as well_!"  
And many questions he didn't have answers to: "How do you switch between a corporeal and intangible form?"  
By the end of it, Lupin seemed to have lost any remaining reservations he had towards Danny, and Danny had decided that Lupin really was a good guy.  
But still… a good guy or not, Danny didn't know whether he could trust Lupin with his mission. Not just yet…

Before classes were to end for their winter break, another Hogsmeade trip rolled around - with the promise of Danny and Harry being stuck, once again, inside the castle. But on the way back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry was lured into an empty classroom by Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George.

"Early Christmas present for you, Harry," Fred pulled a worn, blank piece of parchment from inside his cloak, and, with a flourish, laid it on a desk.  
"What's that supposed to be?"  
"This, Harry, is the secret of our success." George patted the parchment fondly.  
"It's a wrench, giving it to you, but we decided last night, your need's greater than ours."  
"Anyway, we know it by heart. We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."  
They explained they'd gotten (stolen) it from Filch; a drawer in his office labeled "Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."

With a tap of George's wand and the words "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," ink spread out on the parchment forming a map with the title:

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs_  
_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers_  
_are proud to present_  
_**THE MARAUDER'S MAP**_

It showed every detail of Hogwarts and its grounds ('Where was this when I needed it?!'), even - with a moving dot and a name - where people were inside it.  
For an instant, Danny and Harry's pulses raced. But they quickly realized - _Danny wasn't there_. They were both just as _confused_ as they were relieved. (Danny even more so when he saw the names of the Hogwarts' ghosts and Peeves were shown on the map.)

Fred traced a secret passage on the map with his finger, "Right into Hogsmeade. There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four," he pointed to them, "but we're sure we're the only ones who know about _these_. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in - completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance…"  
'That… Doesn't make sense. Of course it was used! It was built, so - oh, y'know what, forget it. I'll investigate it later.'

After the twins left, Danny turned visible.  
"Danny look! If the twins are right - and I'm sure they are - I can get into Hogsmeade!"  
"Yeah…" Danny hesitated, while Harry studied the map more closely. He knew he couldn't stop Harry if he really wanted to go, but… "Hey, uh…"  
Harry looked at him, grinning. Danny smiled back.  
'I'll just have to go with him.' "If you're going to do this, you should probably grab your coat and invisibility cloak first."  
"No, I'll be fine. I don't want to wait any longer." And like that, he took off.  
Danny sighed, but smiled. It was good to see Harry so happy. He had been in a slump ever since losing his broom. Some fresh air and new sights would probably do him good.

Danny followed at a distance. Harry met up with Ron and Hermione right away. Hermione did not approve of Harry being there, of course. Ron, though, pointed out a notice pasted on the door of the shop the secret tunnel had let out in, which said that dementors were patrolling the streets of the small town during the night.  
'Only during the night, huh…?'  
Ron's point was that Sirius Black couldn't get into the town because of these patrols. Danny disagreed (he'd gotten into the school, hadn't he?), but he _was_ relieved that he wouldn't have to deal with the creatures here during the day.

After buying some candy from the shop, the trio made there way to a small, warm pub/inn called the "Three Broomsticks." Things were going well. Ron even got Danny his own mug of "Butterbeer" - a non-alcoholic beverage which, Danny decided (though not as good as hot cocoa) wasn't half bad. He floated above the table, drinking from his invisible cup, when he noticed a group of teachers headed towards the building.

Danny reached down and turned Harry invisible with him.  
"Danny?" asked Harry.  
"What's wrong?" Hermione looked around, quickly spotting their professors and the other adults coming inside.  
'Oh, this is going to be another long day, isn't it?'  
He resigned himself to it when they sat down at the table right next to theirs. Apparently, one of them, a man he didn't recognize, was actually the "Minister," and they even invited the waitress, Madam Rosmerta, to join them. The topic of conversation was, of course, Sirius Black.  
But… things turned personal.

Well… even _more_ personal than attempts on Harry's life.  
Danny was worried he'd have to restrain Harry. He almost had to restrain _himself_.

Black was Harry's godfather.  
He'd been Harry's father's best friend! But even more than that…

"... Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm," the Minister said.  
"How does that work?" asked the waitress.  
Professor Flitwick (the teacher of the Charms class) filled her in. He explained that it hid a secret inside a chosen "Secret-Keeper's" soul so that, unless revealed by the Secret-Keeper, it would be _impossible_ to know or find out - even if the "secret" was directly in front of you.  
Black had been chosen as just such a Secret-Keeper to hide the Potter family's location from Voldemort.  
And, seeing as they were murdered barely a week after he _became_ their Secret-Keeper…

Danny struggled not to freeze Harry's shoulder, but managed to control himself. Their story wasn't finished, either. Soon after Voldemort "died" (as Danny knew better), another friend of Black and Harry's father, "Peter Pettigrew," confronted Black. And Black didn't just kill him  
\- Black _blew him up_!  
…

After making sure Harry and the others made it back to the castle safely, Danny flew himself down into one of the rare places that could provide the space and privacy he needed right then: the large underground room he had found connected to the pipes. (He had been mildly concerned by the gigantic snake carcass that was down there when he first found it - but he didn't even spare it a glance.)  
He spent that night and into the morning letting off steam. The snake's body was frozen solid and shattered into millions of pieces, the walls were scorched and scarred by ethereal fire and his sonic attacks (as loud as he could make them without drawing attention down there).

It was like his mind was racing - but had nowhere to go.

He wanted to find this Sirius Black and kill him -  
No, he wanted to protect Harry, to make sure no one hurt his friend -

Harry must be feeling even worse right now, he should be comforting him -  
No, Ron and Hermione were closer friends to Harry, and there was nothing he could say or do that could help -

He could kill Black, that would help his friend -  
'I WILL NOT KILL!' -

\- 'But I want to protect them…'

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	6. Chapter 6

When Danny returned later the next day, things were mostly how he had expected to find them: most of the students had left for the holidays, the Trio were talking in front of the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, and Harry looked absolutely exhausted.  
_Against_ what he had expected, however, the other two _weren't _trying to comfort Harry.  
Ron was getting angry. Hermione was on the verge of tears. They were trying to convince Harry not to go after Black. That it was too dangerous. That the dementors and other authorities would catch him. That the biggest piece of Pettigrew they could find (after Black _blew him up_) was _his finger_.

Danny didn't interfere; it really wasn't his place to. But if Harry wanted to go after Black, **he would gladly help him**.  
Ron gave up, suggesting they should go visit Hagrid. Harry, wanting to ask Hagrid why he had _never told him about Black_, readily agreed, and Danny (both because he dared not let Harry out of sight in this state, and because he wanted to hear more about Black himself) followed them to the hut - which was far too close to the dementors' patrols for the phantasm's comfort.

But when they arrived, it was far from a happy holiday greeting that they received - the half-giant was sobbing and, after letting them inside his small hut, shoved a letter toward Harry to read.  
Danny, having learned his lesson about _getting distracted_ and _tuning people out_, listened… But was still **slightly** distracted, not by the large dog, but by the EVEN LARGER… horse… eagle… hybrid creature- it looked like if someone had decided to make a pegasus, but added the _head_ of the bird too.  
BUT! Danny did manage to listen past his shock (for the most part).  
The letter was some court order, saying that Hagrid's "hippogriff" (which, he figured out, was the _not-a-pegasus_) named "Buckbeak" did something bad, and, after a hearing (which sounded like it would be completely _bogus_), the Ministry's "Committee for the **Disposal** of Dangerous Creatures" were likely going to _execute_ the poor thing.

Ron, Hermione, and even Harry - his anger now thoroughly diffused - did their best to comfort Hagrid, promising they'd help him make a good case for Buckbeak's innocence. Calmer, petting his dog's head and with a cup of hot tea in front of him, Hagrid admitted, "I've not bin meself lately. Worried abou' Buckbeak, an' no one likin' me classes-"  
"We do like them!" Hermione said, lying rather convincingly.  
"Yeah, they're great!" Danny noticed Ron's fingers crossed under the table. "Er- how are the flobberworms?"  
"Dead," Hagrid said gloomily, "Too much lettuce."  
"Oh no!" Ron's lip twitched, making _his_ lie rather _un_convincing.

"An' them dementors make me feel ruddy terrible an' all." Hagrid shuddered. "Gotta walk past 'em ev'ry time I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks. 'S like bein' back in Azkaban-"  
He cut off, and the room went silent.  
'Azkaban…?'  
"Is it awful in there, Hagrid?" Hermione asked timidly.  
"Yeh've no idea. Never bin anywhere like it. Thought I was goin' mad…" He described, to Danny's disgust, a prison guarded by dementors sucking the happiness and, eventually, the very life-essence out of every prisoner, night and day.

"But you were innocent!" Hermione cried.  
Hagrid snorted. "Think that matters to them? They don' care. Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not."  
He was quiet, then said, "Thought o' jus' letting Buckbeak go… tryin' ter make him fly away… but how d'yeh explain ter a hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'? An'-an' I'm scared o' breakin' the law…"  
He looked up, tears leaking out his eyes, "I don' ever want ter go back ter Azkaban."

If there was anything that his best friend Sam had rubbed off on him while he was still human, it was her dual loves of nature and freedom. And Danny already had not-so-friendly feelings for the dementors around this castle. So to hear about a prison guarded by them, and then a section of government devoted to "disposing" of creatures they _disapproved_ of…  
Danny was developing some not-so-friendly feelings for the wizards' "Ministry" as well…

So Danny was quite eager to help with the Trio's research in building a defense for Buckbeak. He helped them pour over volume after volume, and article after article, for anything even **remotely** relevant to Buckbeak's case (He had clawed the arm of a student - 'Malfoy. Why is it always Malfoy?' - who'd provoked him, _directly against_ Hagrid's instructions to the class).  
The research, to Hermione and Ron's relief, also distracted Harry from searching for and worrying over Sirius Black.

...

Eventually, Danny needed a break. He'd been stuck inside this castle (which, though big, consisted of the same rooms as ever) for too long, his eyes were swimming with fancy law terms and news articles, and his visit to the side-town "Hogsmeade" was cut short before.  
So, after satisfying himself that his friends would be safe for a few hours without him, Danny followed the tunnel under the Whomping Willow - eager to investigate why it had been blocked off.

The tree's flailing branches passed right through him, and he entered a tunnel that was dark even for Danny's night-vision. It let out into what seemed to be an abandoned house - only this one had scratches and claw-marks all over the inside.  
'I wonder what this place is…?'  
Turning invisible and intangible, Danny flew straight up and through the ceiling and the roof, then turned around.  
'Oh! This must be the "Shrieking Shack!"'

He had heard about some of the highlights of Hogsmeade from Ron and Hermione. Judging by the run-down appearance of the house below him, and the fence around the yard, this was the house that was supposed to be haunted.  
'I don't feel any presences, though… Except maybe a few animals. But I guess that's not surprising! Figures that it's not _actually_ haunted, heh!'

Danny surveyed the rest of Hogsmeade from above. He couldn't buy anything, but it could be fun to look around the shops anyway. Especially that joke shop!  
'I'll leave that for last!'  
He floated down to street-level, deciding to start with the post-office. It was like a busy zoo enclosure, with owls of all sizes flying around and waiting to have letters attached to them.  
Next was the candy store - which seemed almost like a joke shop unto itself! There were some free samples, too, which he took a few of for later. In one barrel was some blood-flavored lollipops, though… which reminded him:  
'There's something to mention to Professor Lupin later… Phantasms' worst enemies aren't dementors, they're _vampires_. Guess they're part of this… "magical community." Better keep my eyes out.'

The joke shop was just as fun as he thought it'd be and better. There were several items he knew Tucker (his other best friend…) would've gotten a kick out of - and plenty he knew Sam could've found all sorts of uses for!  
'Oh, man… A quill that misspells EVERYTHING you write…! I mean, I would've had to convince him to use a quill first - but Mr. Lancer would have HATED this thing…!'  
So, with a mental list of things he wanted for Christmas (in case anyone asked), Danny turned back toward the Shrieking Shack for one last look at it before returning to the castle.

'How did this place get SO torn up…'  
There were claw marks going from ceiling to floor.  
The floor itself was a network of scratches in every direction.  
There wasn't a single piece of untouched furniture…  
'Well, something clearly _used_ to live here-'  
His tour came to a halt when he entered a bedroom. Sitting on the bed, staring him straight in the eyes… A face from a wanted poster flashed through Danny's mind…

'_**Sirius Black…'**_

Silently, and before the man could react, Danny dove, grabbed him by the throat, and pinned him to the wall. His ethereal flames danced in his right hand; the claws of his left pricked the skin of Black's throat, dripping a tiny bit of blood on his prison uniform - before the wounds froze over, frost covering his shoulder and the wall behind.  
The windows faced away from the sun - Danny was the only light in the room. Sirius was frozen - though not literally. His mind was back in Azkaban. Except… this wasn't a _dementor_ in front of him- _WHAT WAS THIS?!_

Danny couldn't decide whether to kill him now - 'I'm NOT an animal! I am NOT a _MURDERER_!' - or bring him to the castle - 'They'll just kill him anyway!'  
Danny growled, frustrated and _hungry _\- vibrating and shaking Sirius' heart in his chest. Which was all Sirius needed to snap out of it and remember how he _escaped_ the dementors-

Danny couldn't do a thing as he watched the criminal morph - into a BLACK DOG -  
'_The black dog is not a threat'_  
\- escape his grip -  
'_Black dog is not a threat'_  
\- and run for the tunnel under the Whomping Willow...

'_**Black**_ _is not a threat…'  
_…

Danny floated there, in that bedroom, with his arm outstretched, for a good half-hour out of shock.

'What… do I do now…  
'Clockwork…?'

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	7. Chapter 7

'... I…'  
'-I need to find him.'

Tracking a normal _living_ soul was hard enough - _let alone_ one hidden within the form of an animal. But thankfully, Sirius hadn't gone far. Danny found him, still in dog form, a little ways inside the Forbidden Forest. It looked like he'd been living there…  
He made sure Black saw him - hands up and feet firmly on the ground, trying to be as non-threatening as he could - before he spoke.  
Black growled at him.

"I- … I'm sorry. -Look, I'm not going to hurt you…"  
Sirius' ears perked up. He transformed back, but stayed ready to run in an instant. His sunken eyes stared into Danny's glowing ones.  
"... What are you?" His voice was hoarse, showing how little he had talked during his years in prison.  
"-Uh…" Danny stuttered nervously, 'He's gonna run again…' "I'm a, uh… I'm a phantasm."  
Black's eyes narrowed, "What's a 'phantasm'?"  
"It's a … type of ghost."  
"Oh yeah? Never seen a _ghost_ control fire."  
"..."

"Why are you following me?"  
Danny swallowed. 'Moment of truth…' "I'm friends with Harry Potter."  
Sirius' eyes widened.  
"You know Hh-arry?" His voice cracked. Hope had returned to it. "How is he? Is he doing alright?"  
"Uh, yeah. He's… He's doing okay." Sirius relaxed slightly, his eyes drifting out of focus.  
Danny could see, now, just how tired he was. His prison uniform was worn and dirty, and it hung off him like he was a walking skeleton. His face was more wrinkled than it should've been.  
"Can I…?" Danny asked, and Sirius looked back at him. "... Why did you come here?"

He hesitated. "You said you're a friend of Harry Potter."  
He didn't continue. "... Yeah?"  
"Why aren't you turning me in? You must know who I am. I wouldn't have even blamed you if you had tried to kill me back there. So why aren't you attacking me now?"  
"Ah! Well, um… That's a bit- complicated. Uh…" Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "See I, um, was sent here by… my boss! To collect these…" He could feel his face burning.  
He sighed. This was going to take too long.  
"I'll explain, just…" Danny looked around, "Not so close to the dementors."

Black flinched, quickly agreeing.  
"Yes, we can talk back inside the shack." He began to transform. Before he could, though, Danny grabbed him and phased them both back through the ground and into the bedroom he'd found him in.  
Black was, understandably… not comfortable with this. He tore out of Danny's grip as soon as they were tangible again.  
"MERLIN'S BEARD!" He looked down at his body, the floor they'd just come out of, and at Danny.  
'Really? For all the weird things wizards are used to, I didn't think THAT would freak him out!'  
"... Ok. How about you start by explaining - _in more detail_ \- what the _bloody_ hell a 'phantasm' is?!"

Danny gave him as much information about his phantasmal nature as he had given to the Trio by that point (which was less than he'd given to Lupin), then began asking his own questions. Starting with why Black had come there.  
Sirius looked pained. "How much do you know about why I got arrested?"  
Danny hesitated only a second, "You betrayed Harry's parents by revealing their location to Voldemort-" Black looked impressed.  
'What is it about this guy's name? How bad was this guy for people to be afraid _of his __**name**__?!_'  
"- and you blew up your other friend, Peter Pettigrew."  
Rage flashed across Sirius' face at the second name. "Well first of all, I wasn't the traitor! _Pettigrew_ was."  
He pulled a newspaper clipping out of his clothes. It was a photograph of Ron's family; they had won some trip to Egypt or something that summer. Sirius pointed to the rat Scabbers on Ron's shoulder.  
"_This_ is why I'm here. I'd recognize him anywhere. Peter Pettigrew. _Wormtail_. Our so-called 'friend.'"

And he explained: how he, Harry's father "James," Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin were close friends while at Hogwarts; how Remus was secretly a werewolf; how they had secretly (illegally) learned to transform into animals so they could keep Remus company when he _turned_ each full moon.  
… And how he, Sirius, had convinced Harry's parents to switch to using Peter Pettigrew as their Secret Keeper at the last moment, believing the secret would be safer with Peter, who was the less-obvious choice.  
"Did you hear… about the part where the largest thing they could find of Pettigrew was his finger?"  
Danny nodded.  
Black sneered, "The rat _cut it off_ before transforming and hiding in the sewers! And look here." He held out the photo. "See its paw?"  
Scabbers was missing a toe.

He muttered under his breath, "'_Watch out for the rat…'_"  
"Hm?"  
"Nothing- So what are you planning to do? How are you going to clear your name?"  
"If I can get that traitor to turn human in front of witnesses, it should be enough." His face twisted into a snarl, "But even if not - _I can be satisfied just killing him_."  
"How, though? How are you going to get him to change?"  
"It's a simple spell, I just need a wand. If I can get Remus to listen to me…" Sirius leaned back against the wall, "That's why I came here- to the Shack. I've been staying in the forest for the most part, as a dog. But a full moon is coming in a day of two. If he doesn't come down here like he used to, I'll sneak into Hogwarts-"  
"No need." Danny stood up. "I'll help you. Harry's my friend, and I can't just let an innocent person - Harry's _godfather_… I'll convince Lupin."  
"You'd really do that?" Sirius looked surprised, but then smiled and shook his head. "No. Look, I don't know what your relationship is with Remus, but-" his eyes hardened, "I need to be there."  
"But what if he-"  
"He won't turn me in." He grinned, and some light returned to his eyes. "We've gotten in too much trouble together over the years. He'll at least hear what I have to say first."  
"... Fine. But I can back you up, at least. For whatever that's worth."  
"It's enough just knowing there's one person who believes I'm innocent."

So it was set: Sirius would talk to Lupin just before or after he turned, and if that didn't work, Danny would step in. Until then, Danny would keep Scabber's/Pettigrew's identity - and Black's innocence - a secret. They couldn't afford to spook him and risk losing their only solid piece of evidence.  
Danny also decided to start sneaking Sirius food from the Hogwarts kitchens. There was no reason for him to keep living off of wild animals and trash when there was _more than enough_ to eat inside!

But with nothing else left to do, no leads left to follow, Danny decided to enjoy the holiday. Harry wasn't in danger after all, so there was no more reason to stress out.  
Well… For _him_ to stress out.  
When he found out about Harry's broom being destroyed, Sirius decided that he was going to make up for missing all of Harry's Birthdays and Christmases by buying the boy the _absolute best_ flying broom available. Which was a _fantastic_ Christmas present…  
If Hermione hadn't convinced the teachers to be suspicious of the anonymous, overly-expensive gift, and if the teachers hadn't then decided to _strip it down_ and _tear it apart_ in search of any hexes, curses, etc. that might have been put on it.  
Harry was upset, sure, but _Ron_…  
It wasn't even his broom, but he acted like Hermione had become the worst person in the world when he found out.  
If there was anything their interactions had convinced Danny of, it was one thing:  
'They really need to start dating already.'

Drama aside, Danny was in awe of the decorations in the castle. ENORMOUS, _REAL_ trees were lugged inside by Hagrid, and covered in everything from some sort of golden bubbles, to frost (_inside _the warm castle).  
And the Great Hall! It was where announcements were made and food was served (which Danny could guarantee was delicious, even if he wasn't interested in most of it), but it now had thick streamers of holly and mistletoe criss-crossing the ceiling - and even _warm, dry_ snow falling inside of it!  
And during lunch on Christmas day (which was very small. Only some of the teachers, the Trio, and three other students were there) Danny was introduced to "crackers" - these noisemakers you pulled apart, revealing a prize inside. Hermione assured him the magical-variety were much more exciting than their non-magical counterparts. The best part was when Dumbledore decided to wear this stuffed-vulture-hat he got from one! He definitely did NOT seem so scary wearing that and grinning like a goofball!

...

A couple days after Christmas, before classes started again and the students who had left returned, Sirius informed Danny that Lupin was still unconvinced - that he needed more proof before he'd help them. So Danny asked Lupin if he'd be interested in another "interview."  
He said yes, they'd have one right after Harry's promised anti-dementor lesson.

Danny arrived right as they were finishing up. Harry stood trembling from exertion in front of… what _appeared_ to be a dementor, but felt far too weak to actually be one. More interesting was the wispy, silvery shape coming out of Harry's wand. It smelled… pretty good.  
Danny drooled a little.  
Before too long, Lupin jumped in front of Harry and yelled, "_Riddikulus!_" and the 'dementor' disappeared with a loud crack, the silvery shadow fading soon after. Lupin forced what looked like… a tiny moon?… into a case, then came back to where Harry had collapsed into a chair.

"Excellent! Excellent, Harry! That was definitely a start!"  
"Can we have another go? Just one more go?"  
"Not now," said Lupin firmly. "You've had enough for one night. Here-" He handed the boy a large bar of chocolate. "Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood. Same time next week?"  
"Okay." Lupin started extinguishing the lamps around the room.  
Something seemed to occur to Harry. "Professor Lupin? If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well."  
Lupin turned quickly to look at him, asking sharply, "What gives you that idea?"  
"Nothing - I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too…"  
Lupin relaxed. "Yes, I knew him. Or I thought I did. You'd better be off, Harry, it's getting late."

Once Harry had left, Lupin addressed Danny, "Was there something in particular you wanted to talk about? You seemed very interested in having this conversation in private…"  
"Yeah. What kind of evidence would you need to believe Sirius is innocent?"  
Lupin dropped his briefcase and turned to stare at the phantasm floating and illuminating the otherwise dark room.  
"How do you… You're in league with Black?" All of the color seemed to have drained from Lupin's face. "I should've - you're how he got out of Azkab- no." He took a moment to breath, the color returning to his face, "No, no you couldn't have. The dementors would've… But then…"  
He looked up at Danny, his eyes hard. "... How did you get into the Hogwarts' Grounds? _How do you know Black?_"  
And so, finally knowing he could trust the teacher, Danny let a fifth person into his circle of trust.

With one difference:  
"But before sending me here, Clockwork made me memorize these three phrases: '_The Lions with the time-turner, lightning-bolt scar, and hair like fire are friends; watch out for the rat; and the black dog is not a threat.'_ At first I thought it meant to protect Scabbers - Hermione's cat seemed to have it in for the poor thing, but now..."  
Lupin lowered himself into a nearby chair.  
"I'm sorry. I'm still a bit… uncertain about all of this."  
"I'd be surprised if you weren't. I mean, 'The Keeper of Time sent me here on a quest' isn't exactly-"  
"Actually, that part I completely believe. Oh, don't look so surprised - you're a terrible liar. There's no way you could've come up with all that. And really, I'd have a harder time believing any _wizard_ could've set all of this up. Not only is it far beyond most people's capabilities to begin with, but even if someone _could have_ done it, nothing adds up to a believable _goal._"  
"Ok… So, uh, what proof do you need?"  
"I suppose…" Lupin looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded, his jaw set. "If you can capture the rat, I'm willing to perform the spell that will change him back to human form - if he _is_, in fact, a human."

And that's exactly what Danny tried to do that very night. After all, why wait?  
Invisible, Danny snatched Scabbers and phased them both right out of the building and into the freezing air - hundreds of meters above the ground. Lupin was waiting with Black inside his office, but Danny didn't dare risk the rat's squeaks waking any of the students. He phased back inside almost immediately.  
But Scabbers was flailing and squeaking madly in his hand. He'd just about made it three fourths of the way to the office when-  
The rat seemed to grow and shrink suddenly, loosening Danny's grip just long enough to escape.

And in the maze that was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - a maze Peter Pettigrew knew far better than just about anyone…  
Danny cursed.  
He'd lost him.

* * *

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	8. Chapter 8

When Danny arrived in Lupin's office without the promised rat, well...

Sirius was furious.  
They now had essentially _no way_ of finding Pettigrew - except wandering around and hoping against hope that they spotted him.

Remus tried to calm him down.  
"He won't have gone far. He has no reason to suspect Danny's true motives. I'm sure he'll turn up again-"  
"But for how long?! We **had** him! I KNEW I should've gotten him myself!"  
Danny floated down and let his feet touch the floor near the pacing Sirius. "I'm sorry. I can try to track him, but it's hard to feel a living human soul under an animal's mind."  
Sirius stopped walking and spun to face him. His jaw tight, he growled, "I have a better idea."

They spent several hours using Sirius' dog nose and knowledge of the castle (helped by Danny's invisibility) to search.  
But with no luck.

Still. The walk and passing of time helped calm Sirius a bit.  
After finishing by searching the castle grounds - still with no luck - they ended their search in the Shrieking Shack.

Defeated, Sirius changed back into a human and sat on the dilapidated excuse for a bed.

Danny floated there awkwardly. Remembering how he had almost attacked innocent Sirius in this room...  
"... I know there wasn't much you could do."  
Sirius head continued to hang - he was looking at the news clipping he'd shown Danny. The one with the picture of "Scabbers."  
"He knows this castle just as well as Moony and me. I just…" A shadow passed over his expression, but he looked up with a fire in his eyes. "I refuse to let that **traitor **go free. I don't want go back to Azkaban - you have no idea what being around that many of those _things_ is like - but I'd rather that than let Wormtail continue living like _**nothing happened**_."  
His gaze softened, and his mouth thinned into a line.  
"That's no excuse for taking it out on you, though, so… I'm sorry about that. We'll just have to keep our eyes open for now."

...

It had been a particularly long day for Danny, so, despite the sun being up, he decided to sleep in his makeshift bedroom in the Pipes.  
He had taken some pillows from the Divination classroom, a spare blanket from a closet - and so on - to form as cosey a resting area as he could manage in the damp space. Granted, the cold didn't affect him (thankfully), but these things (the cushions especially) made it easier to relax.

"Scabbers" never showed up again, though, and the disappearance of his beloved pet had a rather unexpectedly drastic effect on Ron. As more and more time passed with no evidence as to what happened, he came to the most natural conclusion:  
"First the Firebolt, and now this! That bloody cat of yours _ate_ him! He ATE SCABBERS!"  
If Danny didn't know better, he probably would've agreed with Ron - Crookshanks had shown a lot of interest in hunting the malnourished rodent, after all.  
But the extent to which Ron was blaming Hermione for his pet's "death" was… actually mildly concerning. Danny excused most of Ron's behaviour as raging hormones, but still…

A part of him, _a large part of him_, wanted to tell them what actually happened - that Scabbers was Pettigrew, that they had no reason to worry about Black anymore…  
\- But he just couldn't risk it. If he told them, they'd act differently. And he had no way of knowing _if_ or _when_ Pettigrew might be watching. He couldn't afford to tip him off.  
So instead... he let Ron mourn his rat.

...

Danny had been going with Harry to his anti-dementor lessons, regularly talking with Lupin about phantasms afterwards. The professor had decided to write a book about him. (No personal information, of course!)  
It was during one of these that Danny's dislike - bordering on hate - of the wizards' Ministry was solidified.  
"It was in the _Daily Prophet_ this morning. The Ministry have given the dementors permission to suck out Sirius' soul if they find him."  
"_-What?!_"  
"It's not that surprising, really. It's one of the most extreme punishments for criminals - but that's the type of criminal they believe him to be."  
"How are you so _calm _about this?!"  
"I assure you, I am not. But there's not much more we can do about it than we already are doing. Sirius will just have to be extra careful not to get caught."

Danny couldn't argue with that. And besides, he had other things to distract him when he saw his friends the next morning.  
The teachers had finally satisfied themselves that Sirius' anonymous present to Harry, the "Firebolt" broomstick, was safe. But while Harry was just excited to have his broom back (him and the _entirety_ of the Gryffindor House, who seemed to think the Quidditch Cup was practically theirs because of it) - Ron took this as yet more proof of Hermione being a terrible friend.  
"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!"  
"Well - there _might_ have been!"  
Danny supposed Hermione's arguing back didn't help matters much…  
"I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"  
"Yeah, I suppose so," was Harry's response.  
'Oh wow. I hope _I_ wasn't this oblivious back when-' He cut off that thought.  
There was no point in thinking about that now.

With Ron even more opposed to spending time with Hermione; and Harry thoroughly distracted by the Firebolt, his lessons with Lupin, and the upcoming Quidditch match against the Hufflepuff house…  
Danny decided to spend more time with Hermione.  
Hermione, who was secretly using a time-turner to time-travel and attend more classes than she should be able to, but was somehow now drowning in homework in the Gryffindor Common Room…  
… Danny was very confused.

He tapped her shoulder lightly before speaking so she'd know it was him.  
"Why don't you just use the time-turner to get more rest?" he whispered.  
"What?!" She flinched. That was too loud. She checked to make sure no one noticed, then whispered, "How do you know about the time-turner?"  
"I was sent here by Clockwork, _the Master of Time_, remember? That thing is giving off faint time-aura from under your shirt. Although, I can probably only detect it because I've been around the stuff so much."  
She was silent for a moment.  
"I'm supposed to avoid changing time as much as possible. Loads of wizards who've meddled with time have ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake! To use it for anything other than the _absolutely essential_ is too risky! Professor McGonagall was very clear about the rules I was to follow in order to use it. It's all part of her agreement with the Ministry."  
Danny contained a snort of laughter. "Um… _Actually_… It's more like the agreement they have with Clockwork."

Hermione stopped writing in her notes.  
"I can personally guarantee that using the time-turner to, y'know… _not go insane_ will be perfectly fine by my mentor."  
"... Could we… Speak in private for a bit?"  
Danny thought he knew where this was going. "You want to know more about Clockwork and stuff?"  
"If that's alright."  
"I can share a little, anyway."

Hermione packed up her schoolwork, and they moved to an abandoned classroom.  
"So the Ministry - or someone _at_ the Ministry - knows Chron- I mean, Clockwork?!"  
"Well… _Kind of_. I'm not allowed to tell you much, but let's just say that _most_ of those deaths were actually Clockwork following the orders of HIS bosses. Time travel's not all that dangerous, really."  
"What about paradoxes?"  
"Things just split into a new timeline."  
"Huh… So then, why all the rules?"  
"To keep humans from abusing the power. They - Clockwork's bosses - don't like not knowing what's going to happen."

There was silence for a few moments while Hermione thought.  
"Danny… You said Clockwork is your guardian."  
"Yeah…" It wasn't a question. "I'm, uh… Not a _normal_ phantasm…"  
Hermione winced. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."  
"No, it's alright."

Danny settled down at one of the desks.  
"... I used to be human. My parents were ghost hunters - some of the best in the field, in fact! They built what was supposed to be a portal into the ghosts' dimension - the 'Ghost Zone' - but it didn't work. I, like an idiot, went inside to get a closer look. It turned on with me inside it."  
Hermione's eyes widened, but she didn't speak.  
"In order for a phantasm to form, rather than be born, a soul has to come in contact with a large amount of ectoplasmic energy and have a strong enough will to live. Clockwork… He saved me. If not for him, I wouldn't have become a phantasm - I'd just be dead."  
"Oh…"  
"..."

"Have you… ever gone back?"  
"..." Danny looked at the desk in front of him. "A few times. But, uh… Going back for too long or often would… not be good. I could become 'tied' there and never able to leave. And if that happened…" He paled, "_I'd-rather-not-think-about-it_."  
"I'm sorry!"  
"-No, no… It's alright." He smiled at her. "You, uh, actually remind me a lot of one of my friends from back then." His eyes lit up, and he smiled. "Sam, she was this big activist. She was a self-proclaimed 'ultra-recyclo-vegetarian' and goth, and she always had a cause - usually multiple - that she was fighting for! She would've loved your whole 'free the house-elves' movement! And my sister, Jazz - you're both ridiculously smart and like taking care of your friends."  
Hermione was blushing a little bit, but seemed pleased.  
"You must miss them terribly."  
Danny grimaced, his smile fading. "Yeah…"

She moved over so she could rest her hand on his arm. Cold, but not as freezing as she expected.  
"If there's anything I can do to make this place feel more like home to you…" She smiled comfortingly at him. "Just tell me. You're my friend."  
He smiled back at her.

"So, uh… You going to start using the time-turner more?"  
"Oh!" Hermione moved back to where she had spread out her homework and grabbed a blank piece of parchment. She started muttering and working out some math problems. "... Yes, if I take a few hours out of my sleeping schedule, there should be enough room for two of me in my bed… And that room should be empty during this period…"  
She seemed satisfied after a few minutes.  
And indeed, Hermione looked much more rested after that. Danny even played lookout on occasion to make sure no one noticed multiple Hermiones wandering around.

'Now that I've solved that problem…'  
Ron had noticed Danny was spending more time with Hermione, and he took it as a sign of betrayal.  
Danny tried to think of some way he could bridge the gap between the two:  
'He'll come around eventually. Even if it won't be until he finds out about Pettigr-though... I guess that might just make him MORE upset…'  
… But he was coming up empty.

Harry (or rather, Harry's _Firebolt_) was more successful at cheering Ron up. There was a lot of excitement as the first match came up that Harry'd be riding it in.  
And when Danny got to see Harry fly on it, he understood why.

It wasn't _quite _as fast as Danny was when he flew - but it was _pretty damn close_! No one else on (above?) the field stood a chance!  
And to put icing on the cake, Harry completely humiliated some bullies who tried to sabotage him, too! Malfoy -  
('Why is it always Malfoy?! That's it. I need to ask them how this rivalry started!')  
\- and some of his friends had thought it was a brilliant idea to try and scare Harry by dressing up and pretending to be dementors. But, as Lupin put it, Harry "gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright" when he used the "patronus charm" he'd been working on in his anti-dementor lessons against them.  
The group of Slytherin students got into a lot of trouble for their stunt, AND Harry won the game for the Gryffindor team!

And for a while, things were actually peaceful - for both Danny AND his friends.

But still without any sign of Peter Pettigrew.

* * *

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	9. Chapter 9

It was _very_ nice to not have to worry about anyone's safety.  
With his newfound peace-of-mind, Danny was actually able to help Hermione with her research for Hagrid and Buckbeak's trial, invisibly scanning the library shelves for any useful books or articles, taking them back to her, and returning the ones she was done with.

He _would've_ helped look through the articles himself, but… she was far better at that part than him, _seemed_ to be enjoying herself (now that she wasn't exhausted) - and even she agreed that this was a far more, uh… _efficient_ strategy.

But while Danny was becoming much better friends with Hermione, _Ron…  
_Well. Danny supposed they weren't very close to begin with, but Ron wasn't too happy about him spending so much time with her. Though, Danny figured the only reason Harry wasn't hanging out with her, too, was because of how much of his time was taken up by Quidditch practices. The team's leader was very determined to win that year, for some reason. Danny didn't know - … or _care - _why.

So, to try and get Ron to open up to him again, Danny came up with an idea - which he first thought of after seeing, time and again, how much of a bully Draco Malfoy _really was_. He ended up not even _needing _to ask why the Trio didn't like him. (Not to mention, it was because of Draco's fake "serious" injury that poor Buckbeak was facing potential death.)

He set his plan in motion during lunch one day, tapping Ron on the shoulder to get his attention - though not without him jumping a bit.  
Danny whispered in Ron's ear, "Meet me at the top of the Astronomy Tower tonight."  
"What? Why should I?" he whispered back, covering his words by moving to take a bite of food.  
"I have an idea I think you'll like. To get back at Malfoy."  
He could tell by the change in the boy's expression that he was interested. And that night, as requested, Ron (and Harry; Danny supposed he should've expected as much) appeared on top of the tower from under Harry's invisibility cloak.

They wasted no time in asking the phantasm what his plan was.  
"It's actually really simple. You guys - wizards, I mean - You don't have any way of passing through solid objects, do you?"  
"Uh… I don't think so…?" Harry answered, turning to Ron.  
He shrugged. "I've never heard about a spell that can do that. Doesn't mean it doesn't exist, though, I guess."  
"Alright, well… Watch this!" Grabbing a book he had "borrowed" from the library, Danny turned it intangible and stuck it part-way through the floor. Ron and Harry gaped at him. He pulled it back out and set it down. "I can do that with anything, as long as it's not too big - including people. I can turn things invisible, too!"  
"Blimey…" Ron's expression turned from awed, to mischievous. "Oho, just think of the stuff we could do to Malfoy! Why didn't you tell us you could do that earlier!?"  
"So what kind of stuff did you have in mind?" Harry asked, grinning.

...

For the next couple weeks, Malfoy could've sworn Peeves the Poltergeist himself had made him his personal pranking-bag.  
Chairs that moved on their own, missing school supplies, too many dropped objects to count - other objects being randomly burning hot or freezing cold… Someone put an itching hex on every blanket he replaced on his bed. He even thought he kept seeing Potter's Firebolt floating around - but every time he looked, it was gone.  
But worst of all was…

Draco shifted on the bench again. For **the love of Merlin**, he just wanted to eat his dinner **in peace**!  
But every time he tried to get comfortable, his skin would _crawl_ again.

"Draco, what's wrong?" asked Pansy Parkinson, a fellow Slytherin girl who, pretty obviously, had a crush on him.  
"It's nothing."  
Even as he said it, he flinched. He felt a sharp (but minor) pain on his stomach. It felt like…  
There it was again! This time, on his thigh. Then more crawling sensations -  
\- they were all over him now.  
"I need to go to the restroom," Malfoy excused himself when he felt whatever-it-was start to travel down his arms, up his collar.  
_And now into-_  
-Draco sped up.

Danny personally thought this one was a little cruel, but he had to admit that Malfoy's expression had been pretty funny. Ron and Harry were having trouble containing their laughter, getting the attention of Ron's prank-enthusiast twin brothers.  
"Oy! What's so funny?"  
Gasping, Harry replied, "I think Malfoy's having some trouble…"  
With a knowing look to each other, the Twins asked what they had done - and both of them started having their own laughing fit at the word "_earwigs."_

Unfortunately, even after that, Danny couldn't convince Ron to forgive Hermione. And after Ron giving her the cold shoulder for such a long time…  
It was pretty obvious that it was really upsetting her.

She was telling Hagrid about the progress she had made in her research when Hagrid brought it up. He tried to comfort her as best he could and promised to talk to Ron (and Harry) when he saw the boys again - despite her insisting he didn't need to do that, and "If he doesn't see that it wasn't my fault, then that idiot can _keep_ not being my friend!"  
… She couldn't quite keep the tears out of her voice when she said that, though…

Whether Hagrid went through with that promise or not, Ron still didn't want anything to do with Hermione - even when the next Hogsmeade weekend rolled around.  
At first, Hermione seemed determined to stay in the castle and continue studying. But eventually, Danny managed to convince her that some fresh air and a break from routine could do her some good.

It was much more fun to look around the small town with company, even if he couldn't really talk to her through more than the occasional whisper. She told him all sorts of stuff about the place under her breath - the town's history, mostly, but also things like how wizards made using owls for mail delivery work, and what the different kinds of candy in that one store were.  
Knowing how much he liked it, she even ordered Danny a hot chocolate at the Three Broomsticks.

After they were done, they went their separate ways to get back into the school grounds. Danny (knowing the other routes risked him running into the Twins) had made it a habit to use the tunnel under the Shrieking Shack to get to and from Hogsmeade. And it was a good thing he did.

It wasn't uncommon for people to be staring at the "haunted" house from the safety of the fence. But this time, it was Ron. Who… seemed to be talking to himself.  
Danny smiled. 'Of course Hermione wasn't the only one with an _invisible friend_ today.'  
Movement and sound from down the hill then caught Danny's attention.  
'Uh-oh'  
Malfoy was headed towards them, accompanied by his two friends-slash-bodyguards "Crabbe" and "Goyle."  
'No way this is gonna end well.'

"... should have an owl from Father any time now. He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm… about how I couldn't use it for three months…" His goons sniggered. "I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself.. 'There's no 'arm in 'im, 'onest'... that hippogriff's as good as dead-"  
He cut off when he spotted Ron "alone" - and grinned.  
"What are you doing, Weasley?" Draco looked at the Shack behind Ron. "Suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room - is that true?"

From the sudden extension of fabric, Danny assumed Harry had grabbed the back of Ron's robes to keep him from trying to attack the bully. This was confirmed when he heard Harry whisper "Leave him to me."  
Danny, using his phantasmal senses, managed to hone in on Harry's location close enough to whisper, "It's me. I'll help."

Danny stayed close to Harry (just in case) and watched as a handful of mud floated into the air…  
"... Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his hippogriff's-"  
-and launched itself at the back of Malfoy's head with a _*splat*_!  
"What the-?"  
Ron was laughing so hard that he had to use the fence to support himself. The three bullies were spinning wildly, trying to figure out where the mud had come from.  
With a snarl, Draco wiped his hair clean.  
"Great. Just when I thought it was over. _Who's doing this?!_" He demanded from the air.  
Danny snickered. Ron casually commented, "Very haunted up here, isn't it?"  
Crabbe and Goyle looked scared (their big muscles wouldn't help against a ghost), but Malfoy just looked more annoyed.

Meanwhile, Harry had snuck closer to a puddle to grab some stinky green sludge. This time, the two goons got hit, too.  
"It came from over there!" Malfoy, wiping his face off, directed Crabbe toward Harry's general direction.  
Danny gently grabbed Harry and floated him back over to Ron.  
"My turn," he whispered.

Double checking how far away the dementors were, Danny carefully let his aura spread out.  
It was still a bit cold outside, so it took a few seconds for them to start shivering. Then a few more before they noticed the ice forming underneath them, up their muddy-wet shoes, and forming frost on their cheeks.  
"Wha- There shouldn't be any dementors out here yet. It's still daytime!" Draco all but whimpered. He, Crabbe, and Goyle were looking nervous.  
Finally, Danny sealed the deal with his best dementor impression: with no warning or build-up, the sound of loud, wheezing breaths came from directly above the three.  
Not wasting any time, the Slytherins _ran_ \- slipping and sliding and falling over each other - back down the hill.

Ron and Harry were doing some pretty good dementor impressions of their own - wheezing with barely-contained laughter.  
"Ha…! That was bloody BRILLIANT!"

Soon after, Harry, Danny, and Ron returned to the Gryffindor common room (in their own ways). When they got there, Danny received some good news/bad news.  
The good news was that Ron and Hermione were friends again. The bad news… was what caused it.

Hagrid had sent a letter to Hermione from London, covered in teardrops, saying that he had lost the case.  
Buckbeak was going to be executed.  
However, there was still some hope. With the possibility of an appeal driving them on, the Trio was reunited to help save their friend's pet. They visited Hagrid every evening they could and, despite the hustle of the upcoming exams, did their best to form some kind of defense for him to use.  
Danny even suggested trying to "kidnap" the hippogriff and take him somewhere safe - they couldn't blame Hagrid if Buckbeak was stolen by a "dangerous creature," after all! However, using that plan would mean Danny would be hunted by the Ministry, so it was decided that would be the backup plan.

...

Now that they were interacting with her again, Ron and Harry noticed something strange about Hermione. And when their Easter break rolled around, with everyone else stressed beyond belief by trying to finish homework _and_ study for their End of Year Exams - they couldn't ignore it anymore.  
"Okay. You have to tell me how you're doing it."  
"Doing what?"  
Ron glared at her. "We all have more homework than we've ever had in our lives. And you're taking more classes than anyone - which, I _still_ want to know how you're going to _more than one class at a time_, by the way-"  
"That's nonsense, Ronald. No one can be in two places at once," Hermione stated matter-of-factly.  
"- _not to mention_ how much you're working on the appeal for Hagrid. Yet somehow, **you're **the most _relaxed _and _rested _person here!"  
"What can I say?" Hermione hid her face behind her book; she couldn't help grinning. "I just have better _time management_ skills!"

In truth, Hermione was practically living every day twice, at this point. Danny, wanting to be able to come and go as he pleased, had decided to let her use his pipe-hideout to work in (pulling her intangibly through a wall was easier than guarding random classrooms), and he had taken to sneaking a double of each meal up to her.  
But even if Hermione was living a _double life_, and Ron was stressed by their overflow of homework, **no one** was busier than Harry. He had to work his homework and studying in around _daily_ Quidditch practices.

The entire school was buzzing with excitement for the upcoming match, too. Danny had never experienced this level of rivalry (and often, downright _hostility_!) over a school-level game. The excitement finally caused him to pay enough attention that he found out _why_ the captain of the Gryffindor team had been driving Harry so hard: Gryffindor hadn't won the "Quidditch Cup" in many years, and Harry's skill (and amazing broom) meant that they **finally** had a good chance of winning this time!  
And the excitement was contagious. To his (minor) dismay, even Danny found himself drawn into it! And the fact that the Slytherin team's "Seeker" (the position Harry played on the Gryffindor team) was **Draco Malfoy** just strengthened that excitement for Danny AND the Trio - but especially for Harry.  
Danny _haaaad_ attended a few of the matches, but - despite the crash-course Harry had given him that weekend in the Hospital Wing - he still couldn't quite manage to really get into the sport.

Until now.

...

When the game started, Danny took up his usual position near the top of the stands - close enough to (hopefully) not be hit by any of the flying players, but far enough away to not be touched by anyone in the crowd.  
Speaking of the crowd, it was easy to tell who the favorite to win was. Everyone in every House but Slytherin ("Gryffindor," "Hufflepuff," and "Ravenclaw") were decked out in Gryffindor's colors: red and gold. The quarter of the stadium flashing green and silver made a sharp contrast.

Danny found himself glued to his seat (metaphorically, since he was floating) watching the players fly back and forth, scoring goals in the giant bubble-wand-like goal-posts, hitting "bludgers" at the opposite team's players to knock them off their brooms, angering the referee _several_ times by smashing directly into the players instead…  
To say both teams were playing dirty would have been an understatement.

Danny didn't fully _get_ the points system, but he knew this much: He was embarrassed.

Because when Harry managed to grab the "Snitch" _right _out from under Malfoy's hand - despite Harry being further away, starting towards the Snitch from all the way in the **center** of the field -  
\- and the stadium _erupted_ in cheers…

He actually turned ~_visible~_ for a second in his excitement…!

* * *

If you like this, please **SHARE **it!  
And check out my other works!

And especially my Tumblr - CiestessDE - where I post fanfics, original works, and updates!


	10. Chapter 10

*Knock-knock*  
"You may come in."

Lupin entered.  
Dumbledore stopped his pacing and sat behind his desk.  
… He was frowning.

"Thank you for coming, Remus."  
"I assume this is about Danny," Lupin sat in the chair Dumbledore provided him.  
Dumbledore nodded, his eyebrows furrowing.  
"I've given much thought to what you've told me about him. You claim the phantasm is… _friendly_. However, you also acknowledge that phantasms survive-" his tone darkened "-off of eating _**souls**_."  
"Yes. That's what Danny told me. However, Danny eats _substitute _souls…"  
Lupin trailed off. Dumbledore was nodding.

"... I… understand your sympathies for the boy. And I agreed not to pursue him. However."  
Dumbledore's eyes seemed to actually _burn_.  
"Unlike a werewolf… a phantasm is a continual threat to my students' safety. What if he were to run out of these 'substitutes,' for example? Would he hunt the dementors and break our tenuous peace with them? Eat the Hogwarts' Ghosts?"  
Lupin didn't have an answer for him.  
"And as you have said yourself, this is the first - the _only _\- time we know of that anyone has had a remotely civil interaction with a phantasm. I trust your judgement that the boy does not MEAN us any harm. But we have no way of knowing that that will last."  
They sat in silence for a while.

Dumbledore sighed. He looked pained.  
"... I'm sorry, Remus. I won't attack the boy.  
"But I cannot allow him to remain here _unsupervised_."

...

Few things felt better than floating lazily through the air on a warm Spring night. Danny felt sorry for the humans: stuck inside, having to study for exams. When the weather was _just_ turning warm…  
Not that he was able to _completely_ relax. His meal trips for Sirius and 2nd-Hermione took up a bit of time. But on the whole… Danny was actually getting bored again.  
… As in, REALLY bored! Which was NOT something he thought he'd be when he first arrived at this crazy school. But he'd explored _every inch of it_! Or, he thought so, anyway; the place _was_ practically a maze. But if there was any part he'd missed, he'd have to congratulate whoever built or hid it (if he ever met them).  
Because of that boredom, though, Danny resorted to something he never thought he would: He had started studying school subjects for fun. Which, granted, magic subjects were inherently more entertaining, but the textbooks were still _somehow_ just as boring to read as normal ones! The two subjects that interested him most were Astronomy (of course) and History of Magic. (The teacher of that class - aside from being a ghost? - was still **extremely** boring, but the history itself was actually pretty neat.)

He also started visiting Buckbeak to get the hippogriff more comfortable around his presence, just in case the appeal didn't work out.  
The chances of which were… pretty good, if Draco's returned _good mood_ was anything to go by. Turns out the bully's father really _was_ influential, and he certainly didn't keep it a secret that the creature's execution would be _because_ of that influence. In fact, he seemed pleased by it.  
Danny had gotten tired of pranking Draco himself, but the boy's attitude about Buckbeak grated on his nerves so much that he bribed Peeves (with some items from the Hogsmeade joke shop) to do it for him.  
… It worked… for… a _few_ days, anyway. ...Which was pretty good concentration, for a poltergeist.  
When a letter arrived saying that an executioner would be attending the appeal, Danny took that as a sign that his plan would probably have to be used, after all. He made sure there was a space ready for the creature in the big room under the castle (called the "Chamber of Secrets," he found out from Hermione), destroying the basilisk carcass and making a nest for him. He hoped the trip through the ground and walls wouldn't freak Buckbeak out too much when the time came…

But really. An executioner? To an appeal? For the "crime" of _scratching a kid's arm_?!  
It was like this "Ministry of Magic" WANTED him to hate them!

The Trio, oddly enough, actually seemed to think their chances of winning the appeal were pretty good. He wished he could share their optimism. They were visiting Hagrid almost every evening at this point - using Harry's invisibility cloak, of course. If nothing else, the company and constant reassurance was keeping Hagrid's spirits up.

The appeal took place the same day of the students' last exams. Which meant that they wouldn't find out the ruling until after they had finished.  
Or, in Danny's case, that he had to keep one eye on Hagrid's hut during the Divination exam. He would have just floated next to the hippogriff for the _whole_ day, waiting to make their escape, but…  
It was just too tempting!

He actually sat in on two other, earlier, exams: The Astronomy test, to see how he compared. (He might not _actually_ have been able to take it - but he was proud to say that, if he could've, he would have gotten "top marks!") And the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam - because it was a _magical obstacle course_, which… it was just FAR too entertaining to pass up watching!

But he didn't watch the Divination exam for the entertainment value. He _needed_ to know whether it was _actually possible_ for humans (magical or not) to see into the future. Because if they could… it meant that the Observants - Clockwork's bosses - _weren't the only ones with that power_.  
He wasn't sure how, but he thought that might be useful information, in the future…

But, uh… The answer seemed to be a **resounding** "no."  
Every student that came up to tell her what they saw in the crystal ball… A few of them took it seriously, but most seemed to just be making stuff up. And the teacher, "Trelawney"… was falling for the stories _hook_, _line_, and _sinker_!  
Danny stayed until the last student ONLY because it was Harry. Who, indeed, did what everyone else did and made something up.

"Well? What do you see?" prompted Trelawney, dressed in her usual ridiculous beads, bangles, and spangled shawl - looking like a glittery insect with her giant, thick glasses.  
"Er - a dark shape… um…"  
"What does it resemble? Think, now…"  
"A hippogriff."  
"Indeed!" She scribbled something on her parchment. "My boy, you may well be seeing the outcome of poor Hagrid's trouble with the Ministry of Magic! Look closer… Does the hippogriff appear to… have its head?"  
"Yes," Harry stated firmly.  
"Are you sure? Are you quite sure, dear? You don't see it writhing on the ground, perhaps, and a shadowy figure raising an axe behind it?"  
"No!"

'What the heck is with this teacher? She's been leading the students into "making" these doom-ridden predictions the ENTIRE exam!'  
"No blood? No weeping Hagrid?"  
"No! It looks fine, it's - flying away…"  
'C'mon, Harry. I know you want Buckbeak to be fine, but if you're going to make something up to pass, make something up that will, y'know - **get her to pass you**.'  
But the teacher sighed and said, "Well, dear, I think we'll have to leave it there. ...A little disappointing,"  
'Really, though? Are ALL predictions bad? Can't the Universe give GOOD visions?! What kind of "prophet" ARE you?!'  
"... but I'm sure you did your best."

Harry packed up and turned to leave, Danny about to phase out through the wall, when-  
"_IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT."  
_Danny reeled around, almost attacking her - The lady's voice had become loud and harsh, and her body had gone rigid. Her eyes were unfocused, and her mouth sagged. But as soon as Danny realized what was going on - he paid _**extra close attention!**_

"_THE DARK LORD LIES DORMANT, TRAPPED BEHIND LIGHTNING. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE DUSK… THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND RELEASE HIS MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANT'S AID, BRINGING TERROR WITH HIS LIGHTNING PRISON. TONIGHT… BEFORE DUSK… THE SERVANT… WILL RELEASE… HIS MASTER…"_

Trelawney's head fell onto her chest, then snapped back up, and like that - it was over. Harry tried to get some kind of explanation from her, but she didn't seem to remember what had just happened. And Danny was inclined to believe she wasn't faking it, because during that little episode…  
She had been _radiating_ time aura.

… Also, it was just the kind of vague, unhelpful wording the old Stopwatch _LOVED_ to use when giving any hint or warning.  
Because, really? "Trapped inside lightning"? "Release his master"? _**How**_ was that helpful?!  
'Well…' Danny tried to decode the message on his way to Hagrid's hut. 'I guess this means my vacation is over. "Lightning prison"...  
'That probably means Harry. The "servant" MIGHT be Pettigrew…?'

Deciding it would be better to keep a closer eye on Harry for the night, Danny turned around. If he had learned anything from his training under the Master of Time, then he knew that prophecies _were meant to be broken_!  
But when he got to the Gryffindor common room, it was to see the Trio headed out with grim looks on their faces.  
He whispered to Hermione (who was used to him appearing at her ear), "What's going on?"  
"Buckbeak lost the appeal," she whispered.

He followed them down to the hut.  
'I have a bad feeling about this, but… No point trying to change things until I know what _to_ change…'  
Hagrid was trembling and pale when he answered the door.  
"It's us," Harry hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off!"  
"Yeh shouldn've come!" But he let them in, anyway. Rifling through his cupboards, he asked, "Wan' some tea?"  
"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" Hermione asked hesitantly.  
"I - I took him outside." His hands were trembling as he poured, spilling milk all over the table. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' - an' smell the fresh air - before -"  
The milk jug slipped from his trembling hands and shattered on the floor.  
"I'll do it, Hagrid," Hermione offered, moving to clean up the mess.  
"There's another one in the cupboard," he said, sitting himself down in one of his giant chairs.

While Hermione cleaned, Danny decided to help in the little way he could. He couldn't steal Buckbeak away just yet - he needed the officials to see it was _him_, or they might - no. Or they WOULD just accuse Hagrid of hiding/freeing the creature. So for now, all Danny could do was find the spare milk jug in the cupboard.  
But when he looked-  
There, hiding inside an empty jug - in a place NONE of them would've thought to look (the man's specialty, it seemed)...  
Was the rat form of Peter Pettigrew.  
'Knew I had a bad feeling!'

Danny snatched him, quickly phasing outside so that no one could hear his squeaking.  
"Don't even think about it," he growled to the invisible, writhing rat in his hand. It just writhed harder. "If you keep squirming…" He let his hand get colder and colder, "I'll just have to freeze you in place."  
The squirming stopped, but the rat still trembled.

Danny heard voices. It was Dumbledore, a couple older men (one of whom he recognized as the Minister) - and a man with an axe.  
'Oh, _great_…' He would have to steal Buckbeak AND keep hold of Pettigrew, now. Danny took a deep breath. 'Okay. I can do this. We have a plan… _Please stick to the plan, guys…!_'  
They did. He heard the backdoor of the hut open, and the Trio's footsteps quickly moved to a place farther away from the hut.  
The officials were almost there. Dumbledore's presence made Danny a little nervous, but…  
No time.

He turned visible with a roar. The four wizards jumped, drawing their wands, and Hagrid stumbled out of his hut.  
Once he had their attention, Danny wasted no time in freeing Buckbeak. He burnt the rope tethering him to the pumpkin patch, grabbed the hippogriff around the neck, and was just spreading his energy into him to turn them both intangible when-  
\- Dumbledore snapped out of his shock.

"_**Irretio idolon!"**_

It was just like he remembered - though the memory was fuzzy.  
Except he noticed something about the spell he didn't have the chance to last time.  
He wasn't holding anything last time.

It wasn't just as though he were trapped in a net - he was trapped in a net _that kept him from touching __**anything else**_.

Which meant he was forced to let go of Buckbeak…  
**And Pettigrew**.

* * *

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	11. Chapter 11

With how big Hagrid had grown his pumpkins this year, it was easy for Sirius to create a small hiding spot for himself nestled between them.  
But why go to the trouble, you may wonder? To watch the **spectacle**, of course!

Sirius knew of the teenagers' plan to free the hippogriff. And the chance to see everyone's faces… _when Danny appeared… and phased __**the entire creature**_ _into the ground…!_  
It was just _too good_ for the old prankster to pass up!  
And in his dog form, even if he was spotted, he wouldn't draw much attention.

So he had settled himself in such a way that, when it happened, he'd be close enough to the hut's entrance to see the old fools' faces clearly.

.

Even though he was expecting it, Danny's roar made him jump and turn to look at the source of the noise out of instinct. When he saw the rat - his mind froze.  
But when he saw the thing slip out of Danny's hand…

It was like time slowed.  
Or perhaps…  
He sped up?

.

His first thought was to go straight for Pettigrew. But if he did that… Danny would be caught.  
And wizards were not known for their tolerant natures.  
No. Danny needed him.  
And the only way he could help them **both** \- _was with a wand_.

Sirius bounded out of his hiding spot and launched himself, mouth agape, at one of the old, official-looking wizard's wands - snatching it right out of their hand.  
Stopping on a dime, Sirius transformed and, before any of them could react, yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

And just like that, Dumbledore's wand went flying - freeing Danny.

Next, Sirius honed in on Pettigrew. He'd already gotten a few meters away, but Sirius could still see him: he was running towards the lake.  
But the sun was going down - he had to end this quickly!

His eyes fixed on the tiny rat in the distance, and with the perfect aim that comes with desperation, Sirius Black shot a flash of blue-white light.  
The wizard with the axe - the executioner - finally reacted to the quick-moving Black, shooting the wand from his hand in almost the same instant -  
\- but it had been enough.

The rest of the group of wizards had only just started recovering from the shock of the phantasm attack, and the dog attack, and _its _subsequent transformation into _a highly dangerous wanted criminal_ who **disarmed Dumbledore **\- when they got an even bigger one.  
One that would keep them all frozen to the spot for several _**precious**_ seconds.

The rat lifted from the ground slightly to hang in midair. Then, with another blinding flash - it started to grow. To morph - into, to those who knew him, a just-recognizable shape.

Still searching for his wand in the dark grass, Dumbledore whispered, "Peter… Pettigrew…?" - before the shrunken, balding, rat-like man _shot_ off, followed closely by Sirius Black, continuing his path toward the lake - _and the exit from the Hogwarts Grounds_.

Danny shot off after the pair. He had already lost Pettigrew once. He wasn't letting him escape.  
**Not again**!

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one with that sentiment. Harry had torn out from under the invisibility cloak soon after Black's appearance. When the chase began, he, Ron, and Hermione followed behind the phantasm - but, of course, couldn't **quite **keep up.

Sirius managed to stop Pettigrew near the lake's edge, pinning him to the ground with his bare hands. And Danny reached them not long after.  
Unaware of the teenagers still following behind.  
After all, there were a few distractions. Not the least of which was the rat's whimpering-  
"S-s-s-Siruis! M-my old friend! How… H-how nice to see you a-again!"  
"_Shut up!"_  
-as short as it lasted.

It was a cold so intense, even Danny felt it.  
Pettigrew had already been trembling, but now Black joined him, looking around in a panicked realization.  
They were surrounded - and the circle was tightening!

Danny and Sirius should have expected this. But they were so focused on FINALLY catching their prey - that they forgot who's prey THEY were!

In an attempt to push the dementors back and intimidate them (At least enough to not come any closer. Even if he couldn't deter them _completely._), Danny let loose the loudest sound-wave he could.  
His throat nearly tearing from the strain, the force of the attack shattered some of the ice forming below. He even killed quite a few of the dark creatures - but still, they advanced.

Danny shot ethereal fire at the ground. Perhaps the heat would…?  
"Ahh!" "_**Harry!"**_

Again, time slowed.  
Danny turned towards the screams.  
If he'd had a beating heart…  
. . .

.

It would've stopped in that moment.

.

Finally, Danny noticed who had followed them. A group of dementors, though smaller than the hoard surrounding him and Black, were feeding off of the Trio.  
Ron and Hermione were tugging on a black cloak suspended in the air above them. They were pulling with all their strength. Even ripping the tough cloth. But still, it hung there.

Unyielding.

.

But the one holding the cloaked figure… Inside the cloak was… The dementor was…

.

It's hood was down… and it's mouth… was about to touch-

Danny flew faster than he ever had.  
The dementor's mouth closed over Harry's.

He reached out with fire-covered claws.  
The dementor was breathing in.

Danny tore open the dementor's face-  
-and grabbed Harry's soul before it could be absorbed.

.

Relief. For a brief moment, that's all Danny could feel. He cradled the delicate soul close to him, making sure it didn't- _wouldn't_\- fade. But…  
"Hahah…"  
Danny turned. Ron and Hermione were staring at something…

When he had attacked the dementor - it had died instantly, releasing Harry's body. A body which should've been lying on the ground, soulless.  
Should have been alive, but unmotivated to move - or even continue living.

.

It wasn't.

.

The sun had almost set. But Danny could see everything as clear as day.  
And with the full moon out, so could the humans - all of whom were now close enough to see.

It was a scene none present would ever forget - as tragically beautiful as it was horrible.

The small waves formed from the light wind across the lake were frozen by the dementors' presence before they had a chance to fall, and the moonlight glistened off of the frozen surfaces of those waves, the grass and bushes, and even their clothes.  
The grass Danny had lit with his ethereal flames flickered an eerie, neon-green light across those same surfaces.  
The sunlight had turned golden with the coming dusk, adding a soft glow to everything.  
And the stars were just beginning to become visible in the sky.

All of this light was made even more brilliant by the contrast of the dementors, with their dark robes that absorbed any illumination that neared them.

And finally - there was Danny. Adding his phantasmal glow.

.

Slitted-pupils met slitted-pupils.  
Glowing-green eyes met blood-red ones.

"Finally…"  
Danny - all of them - froze. That voice…  
It wasn't Harry's.

… Danny didn't like that voice.

'Wait… I'm holding Harry's soul, so…' Reaching out, Danny tried to identify what was controlling the body. He knew what the answer would be, of course.  
But it was no less disturbing to **FEEL**.

.

It was like watching a cockroach move around in human skin - the soul was scabbed, and contaminated… Was it even a _human_ soul…?  
Harry's Body's eyes were no longer _**Harry's**_ eyes.  
It's body-language was no longer _**Harry's**_ body-language.  
It's voice wasn't _**Harry's**_ voice - even if it used Harry's vocal chords.

Before anyone could move, not-Harry drew Harry's wand.  
"PROTEGO DIABOLICA!"  
A ring of black flames engulfed him - and quickly started spreading outward!

Danny froze.  
'I-I can't do anything-!'

Four voices rang out. The adult wizards had finally found their wands and broken out of their shock.  
Danny, Ron, Hermione - and Sirius Black - were all _pulled_ toward the adults. But with only the four of them…  
Danny watched as the fire reached Pettigrew's body - and _didn't burn him_.

.

With the darkness of night now intensified by the veil of black flames, Danny was the only one who could continue watching what came next.  
But they could all _hear_.

The traitor looked down at his unmarked body with amazement, "Peter Pettigrew… You've served me well once again," then looked up to see Harry Potter's _possessed body_ approaching him.  
Rightfully unnerved by the red eyes and slitted pupils, Pettigrew whimpered.  
"P-Potter…?"

**HE** grinned.  
"No. Not anymore."

The head turned to look in the direction of Harry's friends and allies. For just a split-second - his eyes met Danny's again.

Danny wanted to throw up.

Then he turned back to Pettigrew. "But here is not the time or place for explanations. Come!"

When the flames disappeared, there was one final flash of blinding light. And when their vision cleared - it was all gone.  
The black flames.  
Peter Pettigrew.

.

… _**And Harry Potter's body.**_

Still cradling Harry's soul, Danny's feeling of relief had long since vanished.  
"I failed…"  
In a daze, he floated down until he was kneeling on the frozen ground.

Looking at his hollow eyes, and at the care with which he held the soul in his hands… Dumbledore wondered how he had ever considered this... being… This _boy_... a threat.

* * *

**Sooooo… We finally get here. Meet **Voldy!Harry**, everyone!**

**...**

***Cue Maniacal Laughter***

**I apologize for absolutely NOTHING! XD**

**Only 1 chapter left to go before the ending of Arc 1 of Phantasma Magica.  
Comments are appreciated.  
Fanart will get me to write Arc 2 faster. ;P**

If you like this, please **SHARE **it!  
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	12. Chapter 12

Dumbledore and the other adult wizards - along with much of the staff, who, of course, had noticed the commotion - drove the dementors back to their posts. Ron, Hermione, and Sirius were ordered to go to the Hospital Wing to recover.  
Then, with everyone else distracted by their own tasks, Danny followed Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic up to Dumbledore's office.

Danny couldn't remember what the Headmaster had said to convince him to come. But as long as the old wizard didn't attack him again, Danny didn't care.  
'_Harry…'_

The door closed behind them with a soft thud. The Minister was pacing.  
"Dumbledore, what do we do? _What do we DO?!_ When the Prophet hears about this-"  
"Please, Minister. We must remain calm."  
"Yes, yes. You're right. But the _Boy_-!"  
For the first time since heading toward the school, the Minister looked at Danny. He was a frightening sight - Danny didn't need to look in a mirror to know that: slitted pupils, claws that were dripping with _whatever_ replaced blood in a dementor, glowing, and holding a human soul…  
The Minister didn't dare meet his eyes.

But Dumbledore did. Standing in the middle of the strange room he called an office, his voice was impossibly calm.  
"Mr. Phantasm."  
Danny broke out of his daze, but his voice was… listless. '_Harry…'  
_"... Yes?"  
"This might be far-fetched, but - well. Seeing as I have no way of…" His gaze moved to Harry's soul. "_Storing_? A human soul - I thought it best… to ask if you have any ideas on the matter?"

Hope returned to Danny's eyes -  
"The bottles…!"  
\- and he took off like a **bullet **through the walls and floors.

_He couldn't waste time._

Making it to his Pipe-Room, he held Harry against his body so he could grab an empty test-tube-like bottle.  
'But how do I…?'  
He had never had to put anything _into_ one of these containers before - and although souls were naturally malleable, if Harry slipped out of his grasp… _Danny didn't know what would happen to him!_  
Would he die? Disappear?  
… Become a ghost?

He didn't even know if he could get Harry back into his own body, let alone-!  
'Calm down! … It doesn't matter. There's no other choice!'  
Praying, Danny maneuvered the bottle to below his other hand - and pushed down. Gently… Carefully…

At first, he thought it wouldn't work, but slowly, Harry's soul morphed, extended, and finally _slipped_ into the container. Danny capped it -  
And collapsed. Just for a moment…

…  
'No… Not yet.'  
Mind clear of emotions - _just for the moment_ \- he flew back up to the office.

...

Everything was a blur after that: Lots of terms, names, and legal jargon tossed around; planning for how to keep panic to a minimum; what should be done with Harry's soul, with Danny, with Black, with "The media, Dumbledore…!"

Finally, the Minister was somewhere between satisfied - and panicking over how behind on his schedule he was, and he left. Dumbledore sighed, sat down at his desk, and there were a few moments of blessed silence.

Danny was staring at the glowing bottle in his hand.  
"... I fear I must apologize."

Danny looked up. The Headmaster had always looked old, but Danny'd never seen him… _frail_.

"I assumed you were dangerous because of your species. Given my experiences with such things, I really ought to-"  
"Don't apologize."  
Dumbledore smiled. "You really are a caring-"  
"- I'm an outlier. What you did - the way you treated me… You did the right thing. If I had been any other phant_asm…_" His voice failed him.

'No. Not yet.'  
He focused on a table in the corner.  
It had some weird, silvery machine on it.

Dumbledore frowned, but didn't comment.

"The soul," he said instead. "It will need to be protected. I believe it would be safest if it was left with me."  
Danny looked back at the elder wizard. He tried - desperately tried - to come up with some form of protest.  
But…  
No. He was right. The man had done nothing but protect his students the entire time Danny had known him. Meanwhile, how many times had he failed his friends?

_Once was enough._

Danny handed Harry's soul over.

Dumbledore started asking many questions after that - about him personally and phantasms in general. Danny just told him to "Ask Lupin" and phased out of the office.  
He was so tired. Just… Just _**TIRED**_.

But when he got back to his Pipe-Room - and saw the still-open bag of substitute-souls…

Danny's eyes glowed a menacing, poisonous green.  
"_** . . . "**_

Snatching up the bag, Danny flew through the network of tunnels - until he got to the Chamber of Secrets.

"**CLOCKWORK!"** His energy-infused voice echoed deafeningly, "**I KNOW YOU'RE LISTENING! So **_**ANSWER **_**me!"**  
He threw the bag at the wall.

Several of the bottles shattered, glowing-green liquid dripping down the wall like blood.

Tears were streaking down Danny's face now, "_**Why?!**_ **WHY DID YOU SEND ME HERE!?"  
**He punched a hole in one of the already-scarred-and-burned pillars.  
"**You could've done this yourself! And NOTHING bad would've happened to ANYBODY! So WHY?! For **'_**experience'**_**?!"**  
This time, the pillar shattered.

"**. . ."**  
Danny floated down to the ground - and sat with his back resting against the pillar's remains.  
"... Why would you send a damn _predator_…  
"- a _**spirit-eater**_ -  
"… to _save _people…?"

.

"..."

.

"... Heh. Why did I think you'd answer me…?  
… You never do…"

. . .

He was… Just _so _tired.  
His eyes started drifting shut. But…

'Why is there a nest-? Oh.'  
_Buckbeak_. In all of the confusion, he'd almost forgotten the hippogriff.

It was a remarkably quick, uneventful trip.

...

He'd find out much of what happened later from Ron and Hermione.  
The rest of the student body - of the entire magic **society **\- was under the impression that Harry Potter had been the victim of a "close-call" and would be taking a few months off with his _newly-declared-innocent_ godfather to recover.  
While there was a manhunt going on for Peter Pettigrew, the true criminal.

Just about everyone else was happy: exams were over, there was another Hogsmeade Weekend coming up, and the dementors were being sent back to Azkaban where they belonged! And if Hermione and Ron were dispirited - well, of course they were. Their friend had gotten hurt!

Buckbeak was assumed (in the _official_ story, anyway) to have flown off on his own. (Lupin and Hagrid worked together to find a way to set the creature free in his natural habitat.)  
Malfoy was furious that the phantasm had "probably eaten" the hippogriff - that he and his father had been "outwitted by a creature!"

If there was anything that was bringing the other students down, it was that Lupin was resigning as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Snape, the Potions teacher, evidently disliked Lupin and had revealed his status as a werewolf. Apparently, students' parents were not _comfortable _with that.

But if they were unnerved by a werewolf teacher, they were at least equally unhappy about the presence of a phantasm inside the school. Danny couldn't stay there.  
But Dumbledore didn't want him far away, as Danny was the only one they knew of who could _even __**potentially**_ return Harry's soul to his body.  
Sirius, saying he owed him, agreed to take Danny in. And as Harry's newly closest relative, Sirius was given Harry's belongings.

But before he could leave the school, Danny needed, _desperately_ needed, to complete at least one part of his mission _successfully_. And now that the school-year was over, he could do it.

_Without_ hurting his friend!

...

McGonagall briefly greeted the Ministry official outside the school entrance. Then simply handed them an envelope, and they went their separate ways.  
Invisible, Danny flew down to them. Thankfully, they had put the envelope in their pocket, and weren't still holding it - where they would've felt the loss of weight.  
Reaching intangibly inside their robe, Danny snatched one of the items.

That he was sent here to **steal**.  
By order of the Observants.  
A mission "FAR more important than some _silly_ horcruxes!"

One time-turner down.  
An entire cabinet-full to go.

.

**Ghost Zone - Observants' Council - One week before Danny's mission began**

The room was large, and every seat was filled by a member of the Council. Most were Observants. Their appearance - just a giant, green eyeball for a head - continued to weird Danny out.

Odin, the Guarder of Knowledge - and Clockwork's brother - shuffled the papers on his podium.  
"I believe that covers just about everything. Only one item remains. Clockwork?"

Standing, Clockwork spoke, "Yes, Brother?"  
"We have a mission for you and your…" He gave a hesitant glance at Danny, "_apprentice_."

Looking up, Danny thought Clockwork might be glaring slightly - but it quickly disappeared.  
He bowed, "Of course. It is my duty and pleasure to serve the Council."

"You are aware of the anomalies that have occurred because of the Magic Society you have an… _agreement _with?"  
There was outbreak of nervous and angry murmurs from the Observants.  
Clockwork remained stoic, "Yes, I am."

Odin was openly glaring now.  
"They have broken their contract. You are to inform them of as much and to retrieve the time manipulating devices **you **supplied them with."

Clockwork nodded. Danny could've sworn he was smirking.  
"Of course. We'll get right on that."

* * *

If you like this, please** SHARE** it!

That does it for Arc 1. Tell me what you think!

Arc 2 should be coming out some time in the Spring or Summer of 2020, but fanart might make me write faster. ;)  
If you just can't wait that long for more, you can always send me a request for my One-Shot Wednesdays! I won't give you big spoilers, but you can get some extra scenes that way, lol. (Look on my profile for info on how requests work!)

Finally, I have a couple announcements:

First, the poll to vote for the next OSWs is up! You can find the current poll on my Tumblr ("CiestessDE"), Twitter ("Ciestess"), or my website (crossroadofinfinity. com)

Second, I'll be on vacation for the next couple of weeks. Getting all these chapters out AND working on setting up everything for my original content has… REALLY worn me out.  
I'm glad you all have enjoyed this fic so far, and I hope I can continue making stuff you like for a long time! ^^

Happy Reading! 3


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